Bacterial: Neisseria meningitidis Fungal: Cryptococcus neoformans Viral: Epstein-Barr virus Describe the general characteristics and structure of each pathogen. Neisseria meningitidis: parasitic, aerobic, Gram-negative, non-endospore forming, nonmotile, coccal bacterium (Devoe 1982,-page 162)
Neisseria meningitidis: parasitic, aerobic, Gram-negative, non-endospore forming, nonmotile, coccal bacterium (Devoe 1982,-page 162). Cryptococcus neoformans: grows as a yeast, unicellular, replicates by budding, makes hyphae during mating, eventually creates basidospores (Heitman 2011)
Cryptococcus neoformans: Spores are inhaled by human beings. Infection can then spread throughout the body, most particularly the central nervous system (McClelland 2007,-page 131)
If bacteria have already reached the circulatory system, blood cultures can be performed. These tests usually take between 2 and 48 hours to assess (Mole 2008)
Cryptococcus neoformans: grows as a yeast, unicellular, replicates by budding, makes hyphae during mating, eventually creates basidospores (Heitman 2011). Epstein-Barr virus: mature particle has diameter of 120 nm to 180 nm; has protein capsid, embedded with glycoproteins (Odumade 2011)
Rupture of the spleen is also a possibility. Obstruction of the airway can occur because of swelling lymph nodes (Stoppler 2013)
(How does the microbe produce meningitis?) Neisseria meningitidis: Human infection begins with inhalation, attaching itself to the epithelial cells. Bacteria then passes the mucosal barrier and enters the bloodstream (Todar 2007)
Typically, about 85% of all cases reported are below five years of age. (Rice, Walling and Kallail 1990) in terms of race, the incidences among Caucasians are slightly higher than in African-American individuals
An isolation step is then required, and after 24-48 hours one can take one or more CFU's and run an antimicrobial susceptibility test. If the physician diagnoses bacterial meningitis, the treatment is generally a broad-spectrum cephalosporin, generally delivered through IV for at least 10 days (Bashir)
Meningitis can be caused by a number of factors in addition to opportunistic bacterial or organism invasion. These causes can include ventriculostomy, sepsis, and tonsillitis (Mayhall CG)
Many physicians feel compelled, however, to start antibiotic therapy if there is even a small suspicion, as fulminant bacterial meningitis can result in severe illness and death relatively quickly. This common wisdom was challenged in a study performed at Kaiser, which demonstrated that delay in most cases of bacterial meningitis did not result in a worse outcome for patients, with the exception of patients who are admitted with a history of clinically overt meningitis (Radetsky)
Bacterial meningitis occurs most frequently amongst children, although recent improvements in diagnosis and treatment of H. influenzae meningitis has resulted in a change of the mean age of those with bacterial meningitis from 15 months to 25 years (Schuchat)
N. meningitidis is rather common and is actually is known to occur in the upper respiratory tracts of five to thirty percent asymptomatic individuals (Manchanda, Gupta, & Bhalla, 2006)
Anywhere between 10% to 20% of survivors display neurological problems including brain damage, hearing loss, and even later learning problems (CDC, 2012). Although meningococcal disease was first described in 1805 the casual agent, the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, was not recognized until 1887 (Swartz, 2004)
Parents must be educated on the potential risk factors associated with meningitis, as well as such potential outcomes such as hearing loss and learning disability. Lack of treatment and vaccination availability indicate disadvantaged children who do not have access to necessary treatment; mortality levels are 5% in developed nations, while mortality in the developing world is approximately 30% (Best, & Hughes, 2008)
Children who undergo cochlear implants are also at a high risk of acquiring bacterial meningitis; the rate of which is 30 times greater than children in the general U.S. population (Biernath et al
pneumoniae occurred in infants aged 2-12 months, and N. meningitdis was the most frequent pathogen among children aged greater than 12 months (Bingen et al
pneumoniae and N. meningitdis, and are responsible for 80% of cases in the United States (Brouwer et al
Costs of referral treatments must also be considered. From a research and development perspective, the greatest cost is vaccine development; the cost of which drives vaccination policies (Ceyhan et al
Bacterial Meningitis in Children: An Overview Bacterial meningitis represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Meningitis is defined as inflammation of the protective membranes, known as meninges, that surround the brain and spinal cord (Chavez-Bueno et al