Introduction
Meningitis is the most common infectious death in children in many developed countries (Ninis et al.2008). According to Tidy, most patients have leukopenia at the time of hospital admission (2008). Early detection is the most critical factor in patient outcome in regard to meningitis. Ninis et al. notes that pediatric patient outcomes are better when care is administered by pediatric specialists (2008).
Types, pathophysiology, and
clinical manifestations
There are several types of meningitis bacterial, aseptic meningitis, and fungal meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the pia matter, arachnoid and subarachnoid space and the ventricular system, and cerebral spinal fluid. The pia matter is the innermost meninge with the arachnoid being the middle meninge. Several predisposing condition are otitis or sinusitis, immunocompromise, and pneumonia. Meningococcus and pneumococcus are the most common culprits of bacterial meningitis. (McCance & Huether, 2008).
Aseptic meningitis, believed to be limited to the meninges, consists of viral meningitis and nonpurulent meningitis. Causative agents include mumps, enteroviral viruses, herpes, California encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis virus, West Nile virsus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Colorado tick fever, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and influenza virus type A and B. Inadequately treated bacterial infections may also cause aseptic meningitis (McCance & Huether, 2008).
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