Meningitis
Karen Arguelles 2/26/18
Physical Characteristics
- Meningitis is gram negative
bacteria.
- Rod-shaped bacterium
- Morphology - grossly
pyogenic meningitis shows a
thick layer of suppurative
exudates that covers the
leptomeninges over the
surface of the brain
Discovery
Tuberculous meningitis was first described
Sir Robert
by Edinburgh physician Sir Robert Wyatt Wyatt
in a posthumous report that appeared in
1768. Meningitis outbreak was first
recorded in Geneva in 1805. Gaspard
Vieusseux (1746-1814) and Andre Matthey
(1778-1842) in Geneva and Elisa North
(1771-1843) in Massachusetts described Gaspard
Vieusseux
epidemic meningitis. Several other
epidemics in Europe and the United States
were described shortly afterwards.
Natural Reservoir
- The natural reservoir is the nose
and throat region.
- Meningitis can be transmitted
through a fomite that the infected
person came in contact with like a
cup, tissue, or any other object.
- It can affect anyone but the age
group that is most at risk of
infection are in fact 6 to 18
months of age
Symptoms
Symptoms in general Signs in newborns
- Sudden high fever - High fever
- Stiff neck - Constant crying
- Severe headache that seems - Excessive sleeping
different than normal or irritability
- Headache with nausea or vomiting- Inactivity or
- Confusing or difficulty sluggishness
concentrating - Poor feeding
- Seizures - A bulge in the soft
- Sleeping or difficulty waking up spot on top of
- Sensitivity to light baby’s head
- No appetite or thirst - Stiffness in baby’s
- Skin rash body and neck
Infectious of the Bacteria
- Meningitis is contagious and prolonged close contact
can spread the bacteria it can be spread through
kissing, coughs, sneezes, shared cutlery, or sharing
items like cigarettes or toothbrushes.
- Some symptoms develop more slowly over a few days
- Bacterial meningitis affects over 4,000 people and
causes 500 deaths in the U.S. each year. 6,000 causes
of pneumococcal meningitis are reported each year in
the US. Meningococcal meningitis infects about 2,600
people in the U.S. each year.
- Africa is the country that is affected by meningitis the
most due to the poor living conditions they are more
vulnerable to the disease.
Test Performed
The test that they perform in
order to determine if the person is
infected is though a spinal tap or
also know as a lumbar puncture.
With that they are collecting
cerebrospinal fluid and in people
with meningitis they’re CSF often
show a low glucose level also an
increased white blood cell count
and increased protein.
Treatment
- Yes, there are medications that
are effective against meningitis.
- They use a variety of antibiotics
that they use to treat meningitis a
class of antibiotics called
cephalosporins especially Claforan
(cefotaxime) and Rocephin
(ceftriaxone). Various
penicillin-type antibiotics
aminoglycoside drugs such as
gentamicin and others.
Facts
- About 20% of the causes of bacterial
meningitis occurs between the age of
14-24
- Among those who survive
approximately 1 in 5 survivors live
with permanent disabilities.
- Despite the vaccine has helped to drop
incident of the disease by up to 55%
the death rate for bacterial meningitis
remain the same when it strikes.
Citations
- gram-negative, M. (2018). Meningitis - gram-negative: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Medlineplus.gov. Retrieved 26 February 2018, from
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000610.htm
- Galleries | Meningitis at 10x Magnification. (2018). Nikon’s MicroscopyU. Retrieved 26 February 2018, from
https://www.microscopyu.com/gallery-images/meningitis-at-10x-magnification-1
- Dr Ananya Mandal, M. (2009). History of Meningitis. News-Medical.net. Retrieved 26 February 2018, from
https://www.news-medical.net/health/History-of-Meningitis.aspx
- Meningitis - Symptoms and causes. (2018). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 26 February 2018, from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508
- Meningitis | Signs, Symptoms and Treatment. (2018). Patient.info. Retrieved 26 February 2018, from https://patient.info/health/meningitis-leaflet
- Bacteria Morphology - Meningitis. (2018). Sites.google.com. Retrieved 1 March 2018, from https://sites.google.com/site/chsmeningitis/bacteria-morphology
- Meningitis, Classification, Clinical Signs, Morphology, Complication, Managements - Free Study Notes for MBA MCA BBA BCA BA BSc BCOM MCOM MSc . (2015). Free
Study Notes for MBA MCA BBA BCA BA BSc BCOM MCOM MSc. Retrieved 1 March 2018, from
http://gurukpo.com/meningitis-classification-clinical-signs-morphology-complication-managements/
- Meningococcal meningitis. (2018). Austincc.edu. Retrieved 1 March 2018, from http://www.austincc.edu/microbio/2704r/nm.htm
- The Meningitis Foundation | About Meningitis Symptoms | Who it Affects. (2018). Meningitis.org.nz. Retrieved 1 March 2018, from
http://www.meningitis.org.nz/who_does_meningitis_affect
- Molesworth, A., Cuevas, L., Connor, S., Morse, A., & Thomson, M. (2003). Environmental Risk and Meningitis Epidemics in Africa. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 9(10),
1287-1293. doi:10.3201/eid0910.030182
- (2018). EverydayHealth.com. Retrieved 1 March 2018, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/meningitis/using-antibiotics-to-treat-meningitis.aspx
- 22 Amazing Bacterial Meningitis Statistics - HRFnd. (2014). HRFnd. Retrieved 2 March 2018, from
https://healthresearchfunding.org/22-amazing-bacterial-meningitis-statistics/
