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open access

Vol 54, No 1 (2020)
Research Paper
Submitted: 2019-07-20
Accepted: 2019-12-09
Published online: 2020-01-17
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Differences in the courses of meningococcal and pneumococcal cerebrospinal meningitis

Wojciech Szymański1, Krzysztof Simon1, Marta Rorat1
DOI: 10.5603/PJNNS.a2020.0002
·
Pubmed: 31956973
·
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2020;54(1):39-46.
Affiliations
  1. Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Piastów Śląskich we Wrocławiu

open access

Vol 54, No 1 (2020)
Research papers
Submitted: 2019-07-20
Accepted: 2019-12-09
Published online: 2020-01-17

Abstract

Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae are the most common pathogens causing cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) in adults. The mortality rate and the number of complications remain high. In our study, retrospective evaluations were conducted on data concerning 98 adult patients with bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (n = 42) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 56), hospitalised at the Regional Specialistic Hospital in Wroclaw (Poland) within the period 1998–2018.
Compared to the group infected with S. pneumoniae, patients infected with N. meningitidis were younger and were less often affected by an additional disease burden; they presented more frequently with haemorrhagic rashes. Compared to the S. pneumoniae group, in patients with meningococcal CSM, cytosis in cerebrospinal fluid measuring < 1,000 cells/ mL was less frequent; intravascular coagulation syndrome appeared more frequently; the hospitalisation time was shorter and the rate of mortality was lower. Meningococcal meningitis occurs more frequently among young people with no history of disease. It is characterised by the rapid development of symptoms, which results in earlier diagnosis and more favourable prognosis compared to cases of S. pneumoniae. Irrespective of the pathogen, advanced age and a level of cytosis in cerebrospinal fluid of < 1,000 cells /μl indicate an unfavourable prognosis.

Abstract

Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae are the most common pathogens causing cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) in adults. The mortality rate and the number of complications remain high. In our study, retrospective evaluations were conducted on data concerning 98 adult patients with bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (n = 42) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 56), hospitalised at the Regional Specialistic Hospital in Wroclaw (Poland) within the period 1998–2018.
Compared to the group infected with S. pneumoniae, patients infected with N. meningitidis were younger and were less often affected by an additional disease burden; they presented more frequently with haemorrhagic rashes. Compared to the S. pneumoniae group, in patients with meningococcal CSM, cytosis in cerebrospinal fluid measuring < 1,000 cells/ mL was less frequent; intravascular coagulation syndrome appeared more frequently; the hospitalisation time was shorter and the rate of mortality was lower. Meningococcal meningitis occurs more frequently among young people with no history of disease. It is characterised by the rapid development of symptoms, which results in earlier diagnosis and more favourable prognosis compared to cases of S. pneumoniae. Irrespective of the pathogen, advanced age and a level of cytosis in cerebrospinal fluid of < 1,000 cells /μl indicate an unfavourable prognosis.

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Keywords

neuroinfection, pneumococcal meningitis, meningococcal meningitis

About this article
Title

Differences in the courses of meningococcal and pneumococcal cerebrospinal meningitis

Journal

Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska

Issue

Vol 54, No 1 (2020)

Article type

Research Paper

Pages

39-46

Published online

2020-01-17

Page views

1877

Article views/downloads

1151

DOI

10.5603/PJNNS.a2020.0002

Pubmed

31956973

Bibliographic record

Neurol Neurochir Pol 2020;54(1):39-46.

Keywords

neuroinfection
pneumococcal meningitis
meningococcal meningitis

Authors

Wojciech Szymański
Krzysztof Simon
Marta Rorat

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