Acute purulent meningitis is an inflammatory process in the membranes of the brain and spinal cord caused by bacteria (meningococci, streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci and others). It is very dangerous, since the meningitis epidemic is accompanied by high mortality.
Factors preceding the development of meningitis:
- inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract;
- decreased immunity;
- various injuries;
- congenital malformations.
Acute purulent meningitis - symptoms
The first manifestation of this disease is a sharp increase in temperature to high values ββ(40 degrees and above). After the temperature rises, the patient has a runny nose with a small amount of discharge, severe chills, headache, vomiting appears.
For an accurate diagnosis, the patient is checked for stiff neck - it is impossible to bend the patientβs head to the chest. They also check for the presence of a positive Kerning symptom (the patient cannot bend the leg in the knee joint if it is bent in the hip) and Brudzinsky - while the leg is involuntarily bent or unbent in the knee and hip joints with passive extension or bending of the other leg. All this is accompanied by severe pain.
Acute purulent meningitis is also manifested by the presence under the skin and on mucous hemorrhages - dark brown spots ranging in size from a few millimeters to tens of centimeters. They can completely cover the arm, leg, etc.
Further strong convulsions, delirium, psychomotor agitation join , consciousness is disturbed. In the future, excitement is replaced by oppression up to a coma.
Diagnostics.
- The appearance of a characteristic picture of the disease.
- The presence of meningeal symptoms.
- The presence of changes in cerebrospinal fluid. It is obtained by lumbar puncture. A yellowish-green liquid flows from the needle under pressure. Microscopy reveals an increase in the number of cells to 1 ΞΌl with the advantage of white blood cells.
Acute purulent meningitis - treatment
- Immediate hospitalization of the patient in the infectious ward.
- Prescribing antibacterial therapy. The main antibiotics that are used in the treatment are cephalosporins (cefotaxime, ceftriaxone and others).
- Together with a course of antibiotics, a course of hormones is prescribed, as well as prednisone or hydrocortisone.
- Be sure to prescribe infusion therapy in the form of solutions of salts, glucose and add diuretics.
- With convulsive syndrome, seduxen, valium, relanium are prescribed.
Prevention of Meningitis
To date, the causative agents of meningitis can be found everywhere. No one is safe from infection. Now they have developed a vaccine that is designed to vaccinate against 23 pathogens of various diseases, including meningitis. This vaccine is Pneumo 23. It is recommended to use from 2 years. Also now vaccination against hemophilic bacillus has been included in the national vaccination calendar . It is carried out for children at three months, and revaccination - at six months and a year.