Meningitis
0Meningitis is the inflammation of
the meninges on the outer layer of
the brain and spinal cord
Background Information
0 Joseph Gebhardt, 32, 5’6” and 164lbs has been waking
up with severe headaches, joint pain and has been
having sensitivity to light. His wife Sara had recently
had meningitis and Joseph had been cleaning up her
vomit and had unknowingly gotten some of her vomit
on his hand and then went to itch his nose.
Symptoms
0 General poor feeling
0 Sudden high fever
0 Severe, persistent headache
0 Neck stiffness
0 Nausea or vomiting
0 Discomfort in bright lights
0 Drowsiness or difficulty waking
0 Joint pain
Affected Regions
0 It affects the brain and spinal chord
0 The bloodstream is affected
0 The sinuses
0 Ears
0 Upper respiratory tract
Diagnosis Tests
0 Blood Cultures
0 Blood drawn to check for bacteria
0 Imaging
0 CT scans of head, chest, and sinus
0 Spinal Tap
0 Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid for a low blood sugar and
increased white blood cell count
Treatments
0 Mild cases
0 Stay home and hydration
0 Medicine for pain and fever
0 General antibiotics and steroids
0 Medicines that reduce fever
0 Oxygen Therapy
0 Supportive Care
0 Hospitalized for IV
0 Close watch by doctors
Prognosis
0 Bacterial Meningitis
0 Serious neurological damage to body
0 Death within hours
0 Viral Meningitis
0 Less likely to have permanent brain damage
0 More likely to make full recovery
Communication Error
0 Error in the communication in the neurons between
Broca and Wernicke’s area leads to a disturbance in
speech production
0 The inflammation of the temporal
lobe leads to a loss of hearing
Medical Professionals
0 Infectious Disease Specialist
0 Specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of complex
infections
0 Treat patients with chronic infection or disorders
0 Education: 4 years of medical school, 3 years of doctor
training and 10 years of training in order to practice
0 Assist doctor in diagnosis and treatment
0 Laboratory Technician
0 They test the spinal tissue and fluid to look for bacteria
0 Assist doctor in diagnosis and treatment
0 Education: Associate’s degree in medical technology,
licensing and certification
Etiology
0 Causes
0 Inflammation of protective membranes covering the
brain and spinal cord
0 Infection of fluid surrounding spinal cord
0 Physical injury
0 Drugs
0 Cancerous tumors
0 Parasites
Conclusion Questions
0 The disease you investigated involved a problem in
the nervous system. Explain how other body systems
were affected by this error:
The skeletal system is affected in that meningitis causes
bone and joint damage which limits mobility.
The circulatory system is affected in that the bacteria in
your blood can release toxins and while your blood
pressure rises and falls, the blood vessels may be
damaged.
Conclusion Questions
0 Brainstorm and describe at least two types of medical
interventions that may help your patient:
0 Corticosteroids relieve inflammation and pressure in
the brain
0 Oxygen therapy is used to increase the amount of
oxygen in the blood which is found to be lower in
patients with meningitis
Conclusion Questions
0 Explain why even when their bodies seem to be
failing, people with ALS have all of their mental
functions and senses intact:
ALS affects the motor neurons of the body which are
responsible for muscle movement and sensory neurons
are not affected which are responsible for transmitting
information from the senses.
Bibliography
0 Meningitis. (2014, April 1). Retrieved November 7,
2014, from
http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.htm
0 What Is Meningitis? Bacterial, Viral, and Fungal
Meningitis Causes. (2014, March 17). Retrieved
November 7, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/ato-z-guides/understanding-meningitis-basics