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When looking at the most common causes of meningitis, 8.3% are due to herpes simplex virus. [8] HSV-2 specifically is the most common cause of meningitis in adults. [6] Herpesviral meningitis primarily affects people aged 35–40, the elderly, and women. [9] Between 20% and 50% of cases have clinical recurrences. [3]
Some of the possible symptoms of chronic meningitis (due to any cause) include headache, nausea and vomiting, fever, and visual impairment. Nuchal rigidity (or neck stiffness with discomfort in trying to move the neck), a classic symptom in acute meningitis, was seen in only 45% of cases of chronic meningitis with the sign being even more rare in non-infectious causes.
Meningitis can be life-threatening because of the inflammation's proximity to the brain and spinal cord; therefore, the condition is classified as a medical emergency. [2] [8] A lumbar puncture, in which a needle is inserted into the spinal canal to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), can diagnose or exclude meningitis. [1] [8]
Meningococcal meningitis is a form of bacterial meningitis. Meningitis is a disease caused by inflammation and irritation of the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. In meningococcal meningitis this is caused by the bacteria invading the cerebrospinal fluid and circulating through the central nervous system. Sub ...
People with cranial CSF leaks, the rarer form, have a 10% risk of developing meningitis per year. [55] If cranial leaks last more than seven days, the chances of developing meningitis are significantly higher. [55] Spinal CSF leaks cannot result in meningitis due to the sterile conditions of the leak site. [24]
CSF volume is higher on a mL per kg body weight basis in children compared to adults. Infants have a CSF volume of 4 mL/kg, children have a CSF volume of 3 mL/kg, and adults have a CSF volume of 1.5–2 mL/kg. A high CSF volume is why a larger dose of local anesthetic, on a mL/kg basis, is needed in infants. [19]
Growth indicated a bacterial meningitis, while no growth indicated another cause denoted "aseptic" meningitis. [1] The most common form of this is viral meningitis. [1] Recent medical advances allows rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing that analyzes the CSF for DNA or RNA. This can quickly determine if there are bacterial or viral ...
Viral meningitis, also known as aseptic meningitis, is a type of meningitis due to a viral infection. It results in inflammation of the meninges (the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord). Symptoms commonly include headache, fever, sensitivity to light and neck stiffness. [1] Viruses are the most common cause of aseptic meningitis.