Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the meninges, which develops as an independent disease or as a secondary lesion due to the transfer of infection from any pathological focus in the body. This disease is most often diagnosed in children, although it can develop at any age.
Reactive Meningitis: General Description
Inflammation of the meninges is classified depending on the pathogen. So, viral, bacterial, syphilitic, as well as fungal, tuberculous or other forms of this pathology are isolated.
What kind of disease is reactive meningitis? This is a lesion of the meninges, which is characterized by spontaneity and rapid development, as well as a high mortality rate. The lesion, as a rule, develops as an organism's response to the action of bacterial and viral agents. This pathology is also called neurotoxicosis. It is manifested by cerebral edema, which clinically resembles true meningitis.
Among the main causes of reactive meningitis should be called a violation of blood circulation in the brain tissues, as well as metabolic pathologies that cause acidosis and increase the permeability of blood vessels. In the development of neurotoxicosis, the direct effect of toxins on the central nervous system is also of importance.
The provoking factors can be pregnancy pathologies (gestosis, difficult birth or fetoplacental insufficiency), convulsive readiness, which is characterized by the appearance of seizures even with a slight increase in body temperature, as well as atopy and high nervous excitability.
Reactive Meningitis Clinic
This disease can occur against a background of various infectious pathologies, as well as otitis media and sinusitis, furunculosis in the face or neck, as well as with abscesses in the lungs.
The main symptoms of reactive meningitis are a sharp increase in body temperature to 40 ° C and severe fever. Patients complain of nausea and vomiting. Rigidity of the occipital muscles is observed , sore throat may occur. It is worth noting that such a clinic is easily confused with the manifestations of acute respiratory viral infections. With untimely treatment of reactive meningitis, death occurs.
At the onset of the disease, patients are agitated. Shortness of breath and palpitations are recorded, convulsions may develop. A characteristic spasm of the vessels is manifested by cooling of the extremities and oliguria. If you do not carry out appropriate therapy, signs of central nervous system depression due to cerebral edema develop. There is a loss of consciousness, meningeal symptoms and continuous cramps.
When reactive meningitis develops, the photo of patients at the final stages has specific features - strabismus attracts attention. In addition, there is an expansion of the pupils, a rare heartbeat and a decrease in temperature, which indicates damage to the medulla oblongata. The terminal phase of neurotoxicosis is a deep coma with cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Diagnosis and treatment
Timely detection of reactive meningitis is problematic due to the rapid clinical development and too late treatment of patients in medical institutions.
Microscopy of the cerebrospinal fluid may be performed to identify the pathogen. As a rule, with meningitis, coccal flora is found. In addition, the decay of red blood cells, a large number of white blood cells and a high ESR in the general blood test are characteristic. Urine is dark in color, contains protein and blood.
Patients are treated in the intensive care unit. Since the development of the disease is lightning fast, antibiotics from the group of macrolides, cephalosporins or penicillins, which are characterized by a wide spectrum of antimicrobial action, are immediately prescribed. Diuretic drugs can be prescribed to reduce cerebral edema, and spasmolytic drugs and muscle relaxants can be used to relieve muscle cramps and muscle spasms. The complex treatment includes glucocorticoids. If the disease has a viral etiology, then prescribe the drug "Niyovir" or "Viferon."
The sooner therapy is started, the greater the chance of recovery.