meningitis prevention and treatment

Chronic subdural hematoma (c-SDH) is a frequent and serious neurological disease. It develops due to hemorrhage to the subdural space, mainly caused by head trauma. The middle meningeal artery (MMA) plays a critical role in the supply of blood to c-SDH. The decision on the type of treatment for c-SDH depends mainly on clinical and imaging evaluation. In cases in which patients are critically ill, the hematoma must be evacuated immediately. For this purpose, surgery is generally accepted as the mainstay of treatment...

In 2023, published research on COVID-19 remains prominent. The aim of this article is to highlight important developments in infectious disease evidence unrelated to COVID-19 that were published in 2023. The literature was screened for sound new evidence relevant to internal medicine specialists and subspecialists whose focus of practice is not infectious diseases. The highlighted publications relate to various organisms and patient populations. One article provides insight into the updated guidelines for the diagnosis and management of infective endocarditis...

Celsus gave an adequate description of the bones and sutures of the calvarium. His classification of injuries was simple including fissures and depressions. He is the first to relate specific symptoms to specific tissue injury. In addition, he was aware that fractures could be present in the absence of typical findings. He was also the first to note the meningeal vessels could rupture producing severe localized pain. His treatment was more conservative than that of Hippocrates. Plasters were to be used and if there was no deterioration trepanation was avoided...

OBJECTIVE: Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is commonly utilized for identifying pathologic ICP in cases of traumatic brain injury; however, its utility in hydrocephalic children has not been elucidated. Although patients with typical (pressure-active) hydrocephalus present with clear signs and/or symptoms and the need for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion is often clear, others may have arrested or pressure-compensated hydrocephalus with pathologic ICP elevation masked by ambiguous signs or are completely asymptomatic...

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae remains a significant global public health concern, characterized by a unique syndrome involving monomicrobial primary pyogenic liver abscesses, often leading to metastatic complications such as endophthalmitis, meningitis, and other infections. These infections are frequently observed in immunocompetent hosts or diabetic patients, particularly those of Asian ethnicity. In this report, we present the case of a 66-year-old Burmese female, currently residing in the United States, who presented with severe swelling, pain, discharge, and vision loss in her left eye, along with abdominal pain...

Riemerella anatipestifer infection is characterized by meningitis with neurological symptoms in ducklings and has adversely affected the poultry industry. R. anatipestifer strains can invade the duck brain to cause meningitis and neurological symptoms, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we showed that obvious clinical symptoms, an increase in blood‒brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and the accumulation of inflammatory cytokines occurred after intravenous infection with the Yb2 strain but not the mutant strain Yb2ΔsspA, indicating that Yb2 infection can lead to cerebrovascular dysfunction and that the type IX secretion system (T9SS) effector SspA plays a critical role in this pathological process...

Cryptococcosis is a fungal infectious disease that enormously impacts human health worldwide. Cryptococcal meningitis is the most severe disease caused by the fungus Cryptococcus, and can lead to death, if left untreated. Many patients develop resistance and progress to death even after treatment. It requires a prolonged treatment course in people with AIDS. This narrative review provides an evidence-based summary of the current treatment modalities and future trial options, including newer ones, namely, 18B7, T-2307, VT-1598, AR12, manogepix, and miltefosine...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: With cochlear implantation becoming increasingly performed worldwide, an understanding of the risk factors, preventive measures, and management of cochlear implant (CI) infection remains important given the significant morbidity and cost it conveys. RECENT FINDINGS: At the turn of the 21st century there was a decrease in rates of CI infection, particularly meningitis, following the discontinuation of positioner use for CI. However, in more recent years rates of CI infection have remained largely static...

INTRODUCTION: Meningitis is a potentially life threatening illness. It requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Recurrent meningitis needs detailed investigations to identify the underlying cause. OBSERVATION: We report a case of recurrent pneumococcal meningitis in a 9-year-old boy with an underlying congenital skull base abnormality. Brain computed tomography (CT) scan showed no obvious skull base defects. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed a dehiscence of the cribriform plate with encephalomeningocele...

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), known for causing chickenpox, establishes latent infections in neural tissues. Reactivation of VZV can lead to herpes zoster (HZ) and various neurological complications. In this report, we present four cases of VZV meningitis and myelitis following amenamevir treatment for HZ dermatitis with positive VZV DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Three of them were considered immunocompromised hosts given the fact that two of these patients were taking immunosuppressive drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, and one patient had a history of sigmoid colon cancer (four months after resection)...

Unilateral biportal endoscopic spinal surgery (UBE) is a rapidly growing surgical method and has attracted much interest recently. The most common complication of this technique is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage due to intraoperative dural tears. There have been no reports of bacterial meningitis due to dural tears in UBE surgery and its treatment and prevention. We reported a 47 year-old man with CSF due to an intraoperative dural tear. A drainage tube was routinely placed and removed on the fourth day after surgery, resulting in fever and headache on the fifith postoperative day...

Meningococcal meningitis (MM) and invasive meningococcal disease remain a major public health problem that generates enormous public alarm. It is caused by Neisseria meningitidis, a Gram-negative diplococcus with an enormous capacity for acute and rapidly progressive disease, both episodic and epidemic in nature, with early diagnosis and treatment playing a major role. It occurs at any age, but is most common in children under 5 years of age followed by adolescents. Although most cases occur in healthy people, the incidence is higher in certain risk groups...

BACKGROUND Carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) is a rare, atypical vascular shunt between the carotid arterial system and the venous channels of the cavernous sinus, classified according to the shunt's anatomy, by etiology (resulting from trauma or occurring spontaneously), or by hemodynamic characteristics (such as low- or high-flow fistulas). CASE REPORT A 62-year-old female patient with poorly controlled arterial hypertension presented with bilateral periorbital edema, conjunctival chemosis, ophthalmoplegia, diplopia, and diminished visual acuity...

BACKGROUND: Neisseria meningitides, Streptococcus pneumonia, and hemophilic influenza type B are frequently linked to bacterial meningitis (BM) in children. It's an infectious sickness that kills and severely mobilizes children. For a variety of reasons, bacterial meningitis remains a global public health concern; most cases and deaths are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. Even though vaccination has made BM more preventable, children worldwide are still severely harmed by this serious illness...

Introduction Infections affecting the central nervous system (CNS) can stem from various sources, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, manifesting as conditions like meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis, and brain abscesses. Despite significant advancements in diagnosis and treatment, these infections continue to pose substantial risks to life. Several factors contribute to the causes of CNS infections. Demographic and geographic elements, the health status of individuals, their immune system's strength, the availability of diagnostic tools, and local prevention initiatives, all play pivotal roles...

BACKGROUND: Disorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage...

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) infections pose a significant public health concern in the Asia-Pacific region. EV-A71 is primarily responsible for causing hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in children. However, this virus can also lead to severe and potentially fatal neurological consequences in affected individuals. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular virology, epidemiology, and recombination events associated with EV-A71. The literature extensively covers the clinical manifestations and neurological symptoms that accompany EV-A71 infections...

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) is a subtype of venous thromboembolism, which occurs in the dural venous sinuses. Blockage of the venous drainage of the brain leads to the development of hemorrhages. Strokes can hence develop in any individual, irrespective of age or sex. CVST is a very serious condition requiring immediate thrombolysis to prevent residual neurological deficits. We report the case of a lady aged 25 years, who presented to the emergency department with a severe diffuse headache for 4 days, associated with vomiting...

Since September 2018, serious meningitis has been found on some breeding-duck farms in Shandong Province, China. A large number of ducks exhibit severe neurological symptoms. The ducks were randomly selected for laboratory testing. Duck brain samples were collected using standard sterile techniques, and the staphylococci isolates were detected in 404 (70.14%) out of 576 brain samples. A total of 525 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) strains were isolated, including 6 species: Staphylococcus sciuri (S...

TBI is a leading cause of death and disability in young people and older adults worldwide. There is no gold standard treatment for TBI besides surgical interventions and symptomatic relief. Post-injury infections, such as lower respiratory tract and surgical site infections or meningitis are frequent complications following TBI. Whether the use of preventive and/or symptomatic antibiotic therapy improves patient mortality and outcome is an ongoing matter of debate. In contrast, results from animal models of TBI suggest translational perspectives and support the hypothesis that antibiotics, independent of their anti-microbial activity, alleviate secondary injury and improve neurological outcomes...