Meningitis

Front 1

Which is caused by Neisseria meningitidis? type of meningitis

Back 1

Neisseria meningitides. It is a gram negative, small diplococcus. It causes meningococcal meningitis.

Front 2

How is meningococcal meningitis transmitted?

Back 2

By airborne droplets. The bacteria inhibit the upper respiratory tract causing influenza-like symptoms, before traveling into the bloodstraem. From the blood, they pass into the meninges. Most symptoms are due to its toxins.

Front 3

What is meningococcemia?

Back 3

When meningococci enter the blood, they cause malaise and toxemia-meningococcemia. Endotoxin shock accompanies this condition, and many patients succumb to the disease at this stage.

Front 4

What are some characteristics of meningeal infection?

Back 4

Patients may display a stiff and arched neck. Headaches are painful, and skin spots may occur on the body surface.

Front 5

What is Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome?

Back 5

In addition to the other symptoms noted with meningitis, there is inflammation of the adrenal glands accompanied by severe hemorrhages.

Front 6

Regarding meningococcal meningitis, how is diagnosis and treatment carried out?

Back 6

Spinal tap of the patient. The CSF is examined for the presence of Gram-neg diplococci.
Aggressive therapy with penicillin and rifampin and other A/Bs is the preferrede treatment.

Front 7

What is Hib disease?

Back 7

Another form of meningitis is caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b. It also affects the meninges, but most cases occur in children between the ages of 2-5. The disease is occasionally fatal, but the mortality is generally lower than for meningococcal meningitis.

Front 8

Is there a way of preventing Haemophilus meningitis?

Back 8

A vaccine known as the Hib vaccine, which consists of polysaccharides from the agent. It is available to children and is often combined with the DPT or DTaP injection.

Front 9

The drug Rifampin is routinely used for the treatment of Haemophilus meningitis. TRUE/FALSE

Back 9

TRUE. The drug can be employed if exposure has taken place and it usually precludes the development of the disease.

Front 10

Can other bacteria cause meningitis?

Back 10

Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. Strep. pneumoniae is a common cause of meningitis when it infects the blood after establishing itself in the nasopharynx.
Staph. meningitis can be due to Staph. aureus which enters via the respiratory tract or via a skin wound. Both can be fatal. They must be treated aggressively.