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According to the authors of recent research published in the journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 'Traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims are considered to be at high risk for infection. The [...]

Byline: J. Suvarna, V. Keskar "Tripod Sign" or "Amoss's Sign" is a sign of meningeal irritation. Although useful in diagnosing meningitis, it is not pathognomic and may be seen in [...]

In newborns, meningitis (inflammation of the membranes covering the spinal cord and brain) resulting from a bacterial infection needs to be diagnosed early to increase the chances of a favorable outcome. Such diagnosis usually requires examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is obtained by a spinal lumbar puncture. This procedure is both traumatic and risky and should not be used unnecessarily. Certain maternal risk factors have been determined which may help to identify newborns at a higher risk for infections that can cause bacterial meningitis. Some have advocated CSF tests for asymptomatic infants whose mothers have such risk factors. This study assessed if such tests, with their accompanying risks, should be performed on asymptomatic infants. Records covering a 10-year period when infants born at or transferred to a particular hospital may have had CSF tests at the hospital were reviewed. A total of 284 infants who were asymptomatic, but whose mothers had risk factors indicating that the infants might have a bacterial infection, had CSF examinations during this period. In no case did an infant have meningitis and in only 5 cases (1.8 percent) was an infant's culture positive. These results demonstrate that CSF examinations need not be performed on asymptomatic infants. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

An experimental meningitis B vaccine may protect older babies against multiple strains of meningococcal B bacteria. While some vaccines currently protect against specific strains of meningitis B, there are currently [...]

We report a case of postneurosurgical meningitis caused by Enterobacter aerogenes in an adult. Gram-negative bacterial meningitis (GNBM) is usually caused by Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli, or Haemophilus influenzae; E [...]

Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Case Report Discussion Conclusion References Abstract Abstract Although the overall incidence of tuberculosis (TB) appears to be decreasing in the United States, the proportionate rate [...]

The need for immunization against pneumococcus in persons who plan to undergo cochlear implantation was underscored by results of a study published in the April issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck [...]

Enterovirus 71 is well recognized as a cause of hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Less commonly, this virus can cause fatal perinatal disease with fulminant hepatitis. I present the case of a neonate [...]

[Infect Med. 2005;22:573-576] Key words: Meningitis / CNS infection / Mycoses / Fungus Fungal infections of the CNS are rare. When they do occur, the most common manifestation is meningitis. [...]

A viral meningitis outbreak occurred among 29 of 113 (26%) attendees at a summer camp in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in the summer of 2001, said Joseph B. McLaughlin, M.D., [...]

Byline: Levine, Irene Before Faith Hoenstine fell ill with meningococcal disease at age 14, her family had never heard of it. The high school freshman from Imler, PA, had flulike [...]

Updates Meningitis and Cochlear Implants Source: FDA Public Health Notification, July 24, 2002. (www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch)) The FDA issued a public health advisory in late July regarding a possible association between [...]

Meningococcal Infection in College Students Abstract & Commentary Synopsis: College freshmen who live in dormitories have an elevated risk of developing meningococcal disease when compared with other college students. Administering [...]

Updates-By Carol A. Kemper, MD, FACP Sex and E coli Source: Eschenbach DA, et al. J Infect Dis. 2001;183:913-918. Condom use is being encouraged as an effective means to reduce [...]

Updates-By Carol A. Kemper, MD, FACP Med Students With a Bad Headache? Source: ProMED-mail postings May 4, 5, & 11, 2000; www.promedmail.org. Eight people, including five first-year medical students from [...]

Special Report Outbreaks of Meningococcal Disease in Schools By Robert S. Baltimore, MD A 50-state active-surveillance study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)..sup.1 State health [...]

Unusual Manifestations of Herpes Simplex Infection: Chronic Meningitis and Pleural Effusion Abstracts & Commentary Synopsis: Herpes simplex virus is reported to have caused chronic meningitis in one patient and a [...]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a notice about a possible link between cochlear implants and bacterial meningitis, although the exact cause of meningitis has not been established. [...]