Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Meningitis and encephalitis 

Meningitis and encephalitis
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2022. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 16 May 2022

Despite advances in antimicrobial therapy, central nervous system infections have a high morbidity and mortality. Most pathogens reach the brain by haematogenous spread following invasion through the mucosal surface of the nasopharynx. The cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory response is responsible for most of the deleterious effects of the infection. Understanding this response has allowed a more rational approach to therapy. Patients may present with non-specific features, especially neonates, infants, post-neurosurgical patients, and the elderly. This chapter will review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis and encephalitis.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.