Meningitis
- Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranous covering of the brain and spinal cord.
- It can be classified based on the onset and etiology:
- Acute (<1 day), subactue (1 day-4 weeks) or chronic (≥4 weeks)
- Infectious (most cases), noninfectious (autoimmune, drug-related, or cardiomatosis)
Acute meningitis
Acute meningitis is typically the result of bacterial infection. The most common agents vary based on the age group:
Age group | Agent |
---|---|
Neonates (<3mo) | Group B strep E. coli L. monocytogenes |
Children (3mo-18yo) | N. meningitidis S. pneumoniae H. influenzae |
Adults (18-50yo) | S. pneumoniae N. meningitidis H. influenzae |
Older adults (>50yo) | L. monocytogenes Gram negative bacilli S. pneumoniae |