General characteristics of reactive meningitis

Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the membranes of the brain that 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 characteristic

Inflammation of the meninges is classified according to the pathogen. So, viral, bacterial, syphilitic, as well as fungal, tubercular or other forms of this pathology are isolated.

And what kind of disease is reactive meningitis? This defeat of the brain envelopes, which is characterized by spontaneity and rapid development, as well as a high level of lethality. Defeat, 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 the edema of the brain, which clinically resembles a true meningitis.

Among the main causes of reactive meningitis, there is a violation of circulation in the brain tissues, as well as metabolic pathologies that cause acidosis and increase the permeability of the vessel walls. In the development of neurotoxicosis, the direct effect of toxins on the central nervous system is also important.

Provocative factors may be pathology of pregnancy (gestosis, severe labor or fetoplacental insufficiency), convulsive alertness, which is characterized by the appearance of seizures, even with a slight increase in body temperature, as well as atopy and high nervous excitability.

Clinic of reactive meningitis

This disease can occur against a background of various infectious pathologies, as well as otitis and sinusitis, furunculosis in the face or neck area, 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 attacks of nausea and vomiting. There is stiff neck, there may be pain in the throat. It is worth noting that this clinic is easily confused with manifestations of ARVI. When untimely treatment of reactive meningitis, death occurs.

At the beginning of the disease, patients are excited. Dyspnoea and palpitation are recorded, convulsions may develop. The characteristic spasm of the vessels is manifested by cold extremities and oliguria. If there is no appropriate therapy, signs of CNS depression due to cerebral edema develop. There is a loss of consciousness, meningeal symptoms and continuous convulsions.

When reactive meningitis develops, the photo of patients in the final stages has specific features - the strabismus attracts attention. In addition, there is an expansion of the pupils, a rare heartbeat and a decrease in temperature, which indicates the defeat of 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 rapid clinical development and too late treatment of patients in medical institutions.

For the identification of the pathogen, a microscopy of the cerebrospinal fluid can be performed. As a rule, when a meningitis is found out cocco flora. In addition, disintegration of erythrocytes, a large number of leukocytes and high ESR in a general blood test are characteristic. Urine - dark color, contains protein and blood.

Patients are treated in the intensive care unit. Because the development of the disease is lightning fast, antibiotics are immediately prescribed from the group of macrolides, cephalosporins or penicillins, which are characterized by a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. To reduce cerebral edema, diuretics can be prescribed, and spasmolytic drugs and muscle relaxants can be used to relieve muscle spasms and spasms. The complex treatment includes glucocorticoids. If the disease has a viral etiology, then prescribe drugs "Niovir" or "Viferon".

The faster the therapy begins, the more likely it is that you will recover.