A potentially life-threatening bacterial infection of the meninges
System affected: nervous
Predominant age: neonates, infants, and elderly
Predominant sex: male = female
Antecedent upper respiratory infection
Fever, headache, vomiting, photophobia
Seizures, confusion, nausea, rigors
Profuse sweats, weakness
Elderly: subtle findings including confusion
Infa...
Initiate empiric antibiotic therapy immediately after lumbar puncture (LP > Abx), or if head CT scan is needed, then immediately after blood cultures (Abx > CT > LP)...
Brainstem auditory—evoked response hearing test for infants before hospital discharge
Vaccinations
4 doses Hib conjugate vaccine recommended dur...
Tunkel A, Hasbun R, Bhimraj A, et al. 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America’s clinical practice guidelines for healthcare-associated ventriculitis and meningitis [published on...
G00.9 Bacterial meningitis, unspecified
G00.2 Streptococcal meningitis
G00.8 Other bacterial meningitis
G00.1 Pneumococcal meningitis
G00.3 Staphylococcal meningitis
G00.0 Hemophilus meningitis
Classic triad of fever, neck stiffness, and altered mental status has low sensitivity for bacterial meningitis.
Adjunctive dexamethasone should not be given to adults who have already r...
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