Chapter 35

Bacterial Meningitis: An Inflammation of Meninges by Bacteria

Muhammad Imran Qadir and Irtiqa Masood

Abstract

Meningitis is the inflammation of the membrane of meninges that is caused by a different microorganism. Bacterial meningitis is a lethal disease with the mortality rate in older adults is <20%. The bacteria start to replicate in the cerebrospinal fluid CSF and meninges and then infection takes place. It causes fever, headache, nausea, photophobia, vomiting, nuchal rigidity with complications of arthritis and hydrocephalus. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the main cause of bacterial meningitis in older children. Different laboratory diagnosis like antigen screening, gram staining is used to test bacterial meningitis and antibiotics like chloramphenicol, gentamicin, tobramycin, second and third-generation cephalosporin, metronidazole, and rifampin are used against different bacterial microorganisms. Vaccines are available for 23 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Total Pages: 151-154 (4)

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