BIOL444 Lecture Notes - Aseptic Meningitis, Meningitis, Streptococcus Agalactiae
Document Summary
Cns: brain + spinal cord, bathed by cerebrospinal fluid, surrounded by meninges (3 layers), encased in bone. Pns: motor + sensory nerves, connected to cns. Encephalitis: inflammation restricted to the brain (viral origin, or severe bacterial infection: aseptic meningitis: viral infection (most common cause, bacterial meningitis: bacterial infection. Invasions of the central nervous system: foci close to cns via venous pathways, via sheaths of cranial/spinal nerves, directly via anatomical, surgical, congenital defects, or shuts & tubes placed post neurosurgery, classification of cns infections via clinical features. Bacterial infection, acute onset & progression bad very quick shock & death. Mycobacteria or fungi infection, slower & insidious onset & progression. Diagnostic procedures: lumbar puncture/spinal tap: sample the cerebral spinal fluid. Monitors csf pressure: in pressure if immune cells moves in & bacteria grows in cns. Analysis for leukocytes: cns is an immune privileged site, presence = abnormal. Drop in glucose: bacteria utilizes glucose for metabolism.