What threatens reactive meningitis. Reactive meningitis - symptoms and treatment Meningitis fulminant form

Reactive meningitis is a deadly disease in which the meninges become inflamed. The threat to life is especially high for children, the elderly and people with a low immune response. The disease is difficult to diagnose due to the rapid progression of the inflammatory focus, which puts a person in a coma in a few hours.

The main reason for the development of pathology is infection. The infectious agent enters the body as follows:

by airborne droplets, when a person inhales contaminated air when communicating with a carrier;
by contact, in which pathogens settle on the skin and then enter the body;
through food products containing pathogens.

If a person becomes infected by one of the methods described, primary meningitis is diagnosed. If the disease develops as a result of a complication of tonsillitis, pneumonia or other infections, then a secondary form of the disease is detected.

The airborne method of spreading the infection often leads to epidemiological outbreaks.

When meningeal pathogens enter the body, inflammation develops in the meninges. Then the brain swells, leading to disruption of the functioning of the cerebral vessels. Due to a decrease in the absorption of spinal fluid, intracranial pressure increases sharply, hydrocephalus is diagnosed. As a result, the spinal and cranial nerve endings become inflamed.

The development of meningitis is also facilitated by head injuries, back injuries, inflammatory diseases, and the presence of boils on the body.

Symptoms

Reactive meningitis manifests itself abruptly, so at the first suspicious signs, you should consult a doctor. Delay can lead to irreversible complications and death.

Important! With a rapid increase in symptoms, an ambulance should be called.

The main symptom of the disease is an excruciating headache that increases with motor activity. The patient cannot bend his head to the chest. Such pain can lead to loss of consciousness. Accompanying symptoms are hot flashes, fever, chills.

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A vomiting develops. But a person does not feel nausea before vomiting. The temperature of the body rises at lightning speed, which is accompanied by hallucinations, delirium, disorientation in space. The patient may fall into a coma. In infants, a protrusion of the fontanel is fixed, which indicates the accumulation of fluid.

Especially dangerous are rashes on the patient's body that cannot be treated. Necrotic rash is localized on the legs, arms, causing blood poisoning. To save a person's life, doctors amputate the affected limb.

The most informative are the symptoms of Kernig and Brudzinsky. Kernig's symptom is manifested in the inability to raise a straight leg while in a horizontal position. The disease is also confirmed in the presence of Brudzinsky's symptom: when one leg is bent, the other is also bent.

Diagnostic methods

Any of the manifestations of meningitis should lead the doctor to suspect an infection. It is required to urgently hospitalize the patient for emergency diagnostic measures, including:

lumbar puncture, in which spinal fluid is taken;
a clinical blood test that determines the concentration of leukocytes and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
urinalysis indicating the presence of protein;
fundus examination;
radiography;
computed tomography.

After instrumental confirmation of the diagnosis, intensive therapy begins.

Treatment

Reactive meningitis is treated in a medical setting. One of the main treatments is antibiotics. The choice of a specific antibiotic depends on the causative agent of the disease, which is determined after the analysis. Usually, maximum doses of macrolides or penicillins are administered intramuscularly. If shock develops, medications are administered intravenously, with a rapid deterioration in the patient's condition - into the spinal region.

In addition to fighting the causative agent of meningitis, the evacuation of toxins from the body is required. For the purpose of intoxication, potassium preparations, saline solutions are used. With kidney failure, corticosteroids are used, with convulsive syndrome - antispasmodics. Furosemide is prescribed to prevent cerebral edema.

Antipyretic drugs are needed to reduce the readings on the thermometer. The patient is required to take multivitamin complexes in order to restore the body's protective reaction and speed up the healing process.

The very concept of "reactive" means that the disease is a rapidly developing inflammatory process. That is, with reactive meningitis, a person can die a few hours after infection.

Causes and risk factors

The main causes of reactive meningitis:

Drug meningitis -; occurs when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, antibiotics, anesthetics, chemotherapy drugs are injected into the spinal canal as a result of exposure to the membranes of the brain as an allergic reaction.
or a process - this happens against the background of toxoplasmosis, brucellosis, tuberculosis, chickenpox, mumps, poliomyelitis, HIV, enterovirus infection, etc.
- inflammation of the meninges after vaccinations against measles, polio, whooping cough, rabies.
Tumors of the central nervous system - meningeal leukemia, craniopharigiomas, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis.
Ischemic foci in extensive strokes.
Subarachnoid hemorrhages, brain abscesses.
Hypoxia in childbirth, intracranial hemorrhage in premature newborns.
Presence of traumatic brain injury, back injury.
Bacterial infections:, streptococcal, and others.

With the development in the body of such diseases as otitis media, pneumonia, sinusitis, furunculosis, sinusitis, with the blood flow from the inflamed foci, the infection penetrates into the membranes of the brain. This is typical for pneumococci and streptococci.

Meningococcal infection is the most dangerous, capable of causing both single diseases and outbreaks of epidemics. Occurs most often.

It spreads by airborne droplets, you can get infected in crowded places:

polyclinics;
public transport;
schools;
kindergartens;
shops, etc.

Incubation period

The development time of the disease in the body depends on many factors. The danger of reactive meningitis is that it often occurs against the background of another disease. It is not always possible to immediately distinguish the signs of an incipient inflammation of the membranes. But this form of the disease develops very quickly.

The incubation period can range from several hours to two days. It is important to recognize the symptoms in time, delay threatens with serious consequences for the health and life of the patient.

Symptoms and signs of reactive meningitis

High temperature, which rises sharply to 40 degrees at the onset of the disease. The antipyretic reduces it for several hours, after a repeated increase it no longer has an effect.
Headaches without a clear epicenter, which are aggravated by movements, sounds, bright light.
Repeated vomiting not associated with meals.
Muscle pain, convulsions are possible in children.
Excitation, anxiety, which are replaced by confusion, coma.
Shortness of breath, increased intracranial pressure, changes in pulse.
The skin becomes gray and cold, especially the hands and feet. A meningococcal infection causes a rash all over the body.
Meningeal signs - rigidity of the occiput and neck.
In children of the first year of life, the fontanel on the head swells.

IMPORTANT! If the patient lies on his side, pressing his bent legs to his stomach and throwing his head back, this is a clear sign of meningitis, you should immediately call a doctor!

Diagnostic methods

If reactive-type meningitis is suspected, the patient is urgently hospitalized in the intensive care unit or intensive care unit. An accurate diagnosis is made on the basis of the following signs:

Treatment

The course of treatment immediately begins with a wide spectrum of action. Preparations of the groups of penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides are prescribed. The term of reception is not less than 10 days. In addition, antispasmodics and muscle relaxants are prescribed to relieve convulsions and muscle spasms - Seduxen, Domosesdan and others.

To improve the work of the adrenal glands, the patient receives glucocorticoids, to prevent cerebral edema - Furosemide. If there is already swelling, Sorbilact is prescribed.

Be sure to carry out complex therapy, consisting of the introduction of intravenous saline solutions, antipyretic, analgesic, plasma substitutes. In the first hours, the patient receives all drugs with the help of droppers. to avoid toxic shock and more effective treatment.

IMPORTANT! If the patient's condition worsens, antibacterial drugs are injected directly into the spinal canal.

In those cases when the patient is conscious, in addition to taking medications, he is shown to drink plenty of water, strict bed rest, and a salt-free diet.

If it started in a timely manner and gives a positive result from the first days, then hospitalization will last 7-10 days. In the event of complications, the treatment period will be delayed up to several months..

Rehabilitation

Be sure to recover from reactive meningitis is registered with a neurologist and regularly examined by him.
The recovery period after the disease is from 6 to 12 months.
After hospitalization, as soon as the patient's condition improves, kinesitherapy begins in the form of active and passive exercises, massage.
To recover after discharge from the hospital, you need to observe the regime of work and rest, spend a lot of time in the fresh air, introduce a restorative regimen of the day, and lengthen sleep.
It is necessary to release the patient from any additional physical activity, watching TV, visiting crowded places.

Patients who have undergone a reactive form of the disease, who have disorders in the emotional and mental sphere, may be prescribed:

All drugs are prescribed in courses for several weeks or months. Exercise therapy, massage, physiotherapy, vitamin therapy are also prescribed.

In the presence of complications, rehabilitation takes place with the involvement of various specialists: neurologists, speech therapists, orthopedists, psychologists. In addition, for those who have been ill with reactive meningitis, spa treatment is indicated.

IMPORTANT! Restoration of the child's body after reactive meningitis takes place only in a rehabilitation center under the strict supervision of specialists.

Consequences and complications

In the risk group for inflammation of the membranes of the brain, first of all, are the elderly. Most often, the disease leaves consequences in the form of various

Reactive meningitis, symptoms and effects of reactive meningitis

Reactive meningitis is the most dangerous form of infection that affects the lining of the spinal cord and brain. Due to the intensity of the development of the disease, it is often called "fulminant meningitis". Reactive meningitis becomes fatal for adults within a day after infection, and for children - in just a few hours.

Reactive meningitis can be caused by group B streptococci, pneumococci, meningococci, and other pathogens. In addition, the disease can occur as a complication of other ailments: otitis media, pneumonia, endocarditis, sinusitis, glomerulonephritis and others.

There are several main routes of transmission for reactive meningitis:

airborne;
contact;
transplacental;
perineural;
hematogenous;
lymphogenous.

Often, reactive meningitis develops with cerebrospinal fluid caused by a spinal or craniocerebral injury, a crack or fracture of the base of the skull.

Once in the body, infectious agents cause inflammation of the tissues of the brain and meninges.

Their further edema entails a violation of microcirculation in the cerebral vessels and membranes, a slowdown in the absorption of cerebrospinal fluid and its secretion.

In this case, the patient noticeably increases intracranial pressure, dropsy of the brain is formed. In the future, the inflammatory process spreads to the substance of the brain, as well as to the roots of the spinal and cranial nerves.

Symptoms of reactive meningitis

The first clinical manifestations of reactive meningitis are:

disturbance of consciousness;
fever, fever;
muscle pain, "aches" in the body;
the appearance of a sore throat;
vomiting, nausea;
severe headache extending to the dorsal and cervical spine;
hypersensitivity to touch, light and sound;
hardening of the occipital and cervical muscles;
general weakness;
violation of the heart rhythm;
the appearance of characteristic rashes on the skin;
signs of nerve damage (deafness, paralysis, paresis);
swelling and tension of the large fontanel in young children.

Often, in order to relieve a headache, the patient takes the following position: he presses his legs bent at the knees to his stomach, and throws his head back on the back of his head. This feature of the patient's behavior is also one of the symptoms of the disease.

Diagnosis and treatment of reactive meningitis

An accurate diagnosis of reactive meningitis can be made using a lumbar puncture. Only in this way can it be distinguished from other diseases similar in clinical picture. Meanwhile, this procedure takes a lot of time, which, often, an infected person does not have.

In addition to examining the cerebrospinal fluid, common methods for diagnosing reactive meningitis are:

examination of the fundus;
electroencephalography;
x-ray of the skull;
nuclear magnetic resonance and computed tomography.

In general, the diagnosis of meningitis can only be made if the patient has three main signs:

specific symptoms of meningitis;
signs indicating the presence of infection;
changes in the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Treatment of reactive meningitis should be carried out in a hospital and be intensive, complex. In some cases, the features of the course of the disease determine the need for resuscitation procedures.

The patient is prescribed the strictest bed rest, a course of emergency therapy with corticosteroids, antibiotics (vancomycin, ampicillin and others), supporting drugs, and drinking plenty of fluids. In especially severe cases, intralumbar administration of benzylpenicillin is performed.

Treatment of reactive meningitis with folk remedies

It is important to know that it is impossible to cure reactive meningitis on your own, at home. Moreover, the lack of timely and competent drug treatment can cause the death of the patient. Folk remedies in the treatment of reactive meningitis can only perform an auxiliary function, moreover, only after the patient's condition returns to relative normal.

For example, an aqueous infusion of lavender inflorescences or peppermint leaves can be an excellent anticonvulsant for reactive meningitis. In turn, you can relieve irritability and severe headaches with meningitis using the following means:

a decoction prepared on the basis of a collection of rosemary leaves, lavender flowers, primrose root, valerian root and peppermint leaves;
decoction of linden flowers;
strong green tea with the addition of rosehip extract.

Before using any folk methods for the treatment of reactive meningitis, it is necessary to obtain appropriate medical advice.

Consequences of reactive meningitis

Unfortunately, even timely diagnosis and intensive care are often unable to prevent the onset of the most severe consequences of reactive meningitis.

In the blood plasma of patients, there is a noticeable decrease in the concentration of sodium ions (hypoatremia), septic shock occurs, blood clotting is disturbed, complete deafness, blindness or developmental delay occurs.

Moreover, timely treatment of this type of bacterial meningitis does not guarantee a positive result: at present, a fatal outcome is recorded in 10% of all cases of the disease.

Prevention of reactive meningitis

The main measure aimed at preventing the occurrence and development of reactive meningitis in adults and children is vaccination. Meanwhile, vaccination does not guarantee unconditional protection against infection.

In addition, preventive measures include:

avoiding contact with people with meningitis;
isolation of patients;
strict adherence to the key rules of personal hygiene;
exercise increased caution when traveling to potentially dangerous regions.

Source: https://lechenie-simptomy.ru/reaktivnyj-meningit

Reactive meningitis: the essence of the disease, causes, symptoms and directions of treatment

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord and brain, which is accompanied by tissue edema, a violation of the movement of blood and cerebrospinal fluid.

As a result, there is an increase in intracranial pressure, as well as irritation of the cranial and spinal nerves.

There are several forms of pathology based on the nature of the course. Consider the features of reactive meningitis.

Characteristics of the disease

In the medical literature, the term "reactive meningitis" is interpreted in different ways. Two main opinions can be distinguished.

Some experts identify the reactive form of inflammation of the meninges with the fulminant course of the disease.

It is characterized by a rapid increase in symptoms. Without help, a person dies within 24 hours.

Other sources contain information about what is called reactive pathology in connection with the mechanism of development. Inflammation does not occur in the brain or spinal cord, but in another focus, after which it spreads to the central nervous system.

As such, these definitions are not mutually exclusive. Secondary meningitis can develop at lightning speed, especially in children and people with weakened immune systems.

To completely cure meningitis without subsequent complications, it is important to be able to identify the first sign of meningitis in order to start treatment on time. Consider the main signs of the disease in children, adolescents and adults.

Since meningitis is a dangerous disease, it is important to know how the disease manifests itself. Read more about it here.

Meningitis can be fatal, so everyone should know how the disease is transmitted and whether it is contagious. Read about all this at the link: http://neuro-logia.ru/zabolevaniya/meningit/kak-peredaetsya.html. Ways of transmission of viral, bacterial and tuberculous meningitis.

Causes

Reactive meningitis can be caused by various etiological factors.

Most often, inflammation of the meninges occurs as a result of toxic damage to the vessels of the brain and pleocytosis (an increase in the number of cells) in the cerebrospinal fluid.

A high concentration of decay products of microbial agents in the blood leads to shock. This condition can be observed with tuberculosis, brucellosis, syphilis, mumps, poliomyelitis, enterovirus and other infections.

Often reactive meningitis is a complication of inflammatory diseases caused by pneumococci, streptococci, fungi. The main ones are pneumonia, sinusitis, otitis, furunculosis, glomerulonephritis. Microbes spread from the primary focus with blood (lymph) flow, or penetrate directly into the brain when purulent formations rupture.

Other causes of meningitis:

traumatic brain injury and spinal injury;
introduction of antibiotics, anesthetics, drugs for chemotherapy into the spinal canal;
vaccination against measles, whooping cough, rabies, polio;
breakthrough of cysts and abscesses of the brain;
tumors of the brain, hard shell, meningeal leukemia, Behcet's disease, multiple sclerosis - all these conditions can lead to pathological fluid entering the cerebrospinal fluid;
subarachnoid hemorrhages, ischemic foci in strokes;
fetal hypoxia in childbirth occurring prematurely;
intracranial hemorrhage in premature infants.

Primary fulminant meningitis is most often caused by the penetration of meningococcus into the body. The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets and can cause an epidemic. Doctors call it "unmanageable" because of the severity of the course.

life threat

Reactive meningitis is one of the most dangerous forms of the disease. Due to the rapid development of symptoms, doctors do not always have time to diagnose and prescribe treatment.

In 10-20% of cases, pathology leads to death. Causes of death - DIC, infectious-toxic shock, cerebral edema, respiratory arrest.

Inflammation of the meninges can also have long-term consequences.

The main ones are:

paralysis;
deafness;
developmental delay in children;
epilepsy;
hydrocephalus and so on.

Diagnostics

The basis for the diagnosis of meningitis is a combination of signs of general intoxication (fever, feeling unwell) with meningeal symptoms and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Meningeal symptoms are a complex of manifestations caused by irritation of the meninges. These include headache, vomiting, and muscle tension. To check the condition of the muscles, a number of tests are carried out - Kernig, Brudzinsky, Bekhterev and others. For example, with a positive Kernig's symptom, the patient cannot align the leg, forcibly bent at the hip and knee joints.

The key method for diagnosing meningitis is a lumbar puncture, during which cerebrospinal fluid is taken through a puncture in the lumbar region. Depending on the appearance and composition of the sample, the type of disease, its causative agent, and sensitivity to drugs are determined.

In addition, analyzes are carried out:

blood - increased leukocytes and ESR;
urine - dark color, protein, blood elements.

Other studies:

examination of the fundus - congestion;
study of the state of the brain using X-ray of the skull and electroencephalography.

Treatment

At the slightest suspicion of the development of meningitis, the patient is hospitalized. All diagnostic measures are carried out in conjunction with first aid.

To normalize vital signs, the following drugs are used:

saline solutions intravenously;
antipyretics (antipyretics);
plasma substitutes (sorbilact);
muscle relaxants and antispasmodics - for muscle spasms and convulsions;
furosemide and other diuretics for the prevention of cerebral edema;
glucocorticoids with a decrease in adrenal function.

If a person is conscious, he is shown to drink plenty of water, bed rest, as well as a diet with a high concentration of protein (subject to normal kidney function) and a minimum of salt.

The basis of the treatment of meningitis is the introduction of antibiotics in the highest possible doses - cephalosporins, penicillins, macrolides. They are prescribed intramuscularly, and with the rapid progression of the disease - intralumbally (into the spinal canal).

With a successful recovery from meningitis, recovery of the body occurs within 6-12 months. During this period, physiotherapy, sanatorium treatment and vitamin nutrition are required.

Reactive meningitis is a dangerous disease, the symptoms of which require urgent treatment. It can be prevented by vaccination at an early age (against certain pathogens). It is also important to observe hygiene measures, strengthen immunity and treat inflammatory diseases.

on the topic of

Source: http://neuro-logia.ru/zabolevaniya/meningit/reaktivnyj.html

Reactive meningitis

Reactive meningitis is a special and most dangerous form of inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord, characterized by rapid progression, the development of undesirable consequences and the onset of death.

Treatment of the disease is difficult, a sharp deterioration in the patient's well-being, coma or death in this case can occur within a few hours after the onset of its first manifestations. Reactive meningitis is especially dangerous for immunocompromised individuals and young children.

Causes of reactive meningitis

Meningitis is an infectious disease, its main causative agent is various pathogens, including meningococcus, staphylococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc. The main ways of infection:

airborne, by inhalation of the bacteria inside;
alimentary, when eating food contaminated with this bacterium;
household, when visiting a public pool, etc.

Secondary reactive meningitis is also an extremely common pathology, which usually occurs against the background of a streptococcal or meningococcal infection in the body. The primary focus of inflammation in this case can be located in its various systems.

So, in young children, meningitis often occurs as a complication of tonsillitis and pneumonia. The prefix "reactive" means in this case that the disease develops rapidly, within 9-10 hours from the moment bacteria enter the brain area.

If during this period of time the patient is not provided with qualified assistance, the probability of a fatal outcome is almost 100%.

Treatment of reactive meningitis

A patient with suspected reactive meningitis is subject to urgent hospitalization. Treatment is prescribed after the diagnosis is established. It is based on antibiotics (depending on the identified pathogen - penicillins or macrolides), agents whose action is aimed at detoxifying the body (saline solution, potassium preparations).

When the development of the disease has been prevented, and nothing threatens the patient's life, antipyretic, antihistamines, vitamins can be prescribed, and diuretics (Furosemide) can be prescribed for cerebral edema.

Antibiotics for reactive meningitis can be combined with hormonal agents (glucocorticoids) aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process, antispasmodic drugs that prevent the occurrence of seizures and muscle spasms.

In the first hours of treatment, all drugs are injected into the patient's body intravenously. In this case, the drug acts instantly and avoids the development of toxic shock.

Information about similar diseases:

Source: http://pro-simptomy-lechenie.ru/reaktivnyj-meningit/

Symptoms of the development of the disease

Symptoms of a disease such as reactive meningitis, unlike other forms of the disease, appear almost immediately after infection. The main symptoms of this disease include:

a significant increase in temperature;
a state of fever;
drowsiness and irritability;
pain and aches in muscles and joints;
severe throbbing headache;
nausea and profuse vomiting;
painful reaction to light and sound;
a state of general weakness of the body;
muscle rigidity, which manifests itself in the symptoms of Kernig and Brudzinsky;
disturbance of consciousness;
violation of the heart rhythm;
the appearance of characteristic rashes on the skin.

The essence of Kernig's symptom is that the patient in a horizontal position needs to be raised by 90? straight, not bent at the knee joint leg. If this fails, the disease is considered confirmed.

And in order to more accurately determine the disease, the Brudzinsky symptom is used, which determines the disease by several signs. So, the disease is considered confirmed if:

the patient cannot put his head to his chest;
when tapping the zygomatic arch, involuntary bending of the legs at the knees is observed;
the patient uncontrollably raises his shoulders when pressing on his cheek;
when pressing on the pubic region, the legs bend at the knee joint;
when you try to bend one leg at the knee, the second also, involuntarily, bends.

The manifestation of even a few of the above signs of the disease are a cause for serious concern. Therefore, you must immediately consult a doctor for treatment.

Consequences of the disease

With untimely access to doctors or attempts to self-treat the disease, the patient's condition quickly and significantly worsens. In such cases, the likelihood of death is very high.

Moreover, this disease can have serious consequences for the patient's body, even with timely diagnosis and intensive treatment of the disease. The probability of death of the patient, even with all the measures taken, as a rule, is about 10% of all cases.

In addition, the patient after the transfer of the disease may develop blindness, deafness, disruption of the circulatory system. If a child develops a disease, it can lead to impaired mental development, malfunctions of the nervous system, and mental health disorders.

Prevention of the onset of the disease

There are two main areas of preventive measures to prevent the development of reactive meningitis. The first direction includes mandatory vaccination (especially of children) against a number of bacteria that provoke the disease. Unfortunately, this event does not give a full guarantee, so it must be used in combination with the second direction of prevention.

The second direction of preventive measures includes responsible behavior in relation to one's own health and the health of children. It implies: strict adherence to personal hygiene rules, cessation of contact with carriers of the infection and the possible avoidance of crowded places during the outbreak.

The main rule that can save life and health is the obligatory and immediate visit to a doctor. In the case of this disease, delay is too expensive.

Source: https://doc.ua/bolezn/meningit/reaktivnyj-meningit

Reactive meningitis: mortal danger and consequences

Reactive meningitis is an acute infectious inflammatory disease of the brain and spinal cord. It occurs in people of any age, but most often premature newborns, people with back injuries, head injuries and diseases of the central nervous system get sick.

A feature of this disease is its suddenness, spontaneity, transience. Therefore, it is also called "fulminant meningitis" - it can defeat adults in one day, and small children in a few hours. This is what distinguishes it from other forms of meningitis.

Causes of the disease

The causative agent of the disease is meningococcal bacillus, which spreads by airborne droplets. Therefore, you can get infected by visiting a clinic, while riding in transport, a store, and so on.

For children attending kindergartens, there is a chance of getting an infection there during an epidemic. In addition to meningococcal bacillus, enterovirus infection or other varieties can be the cause of the lesion.

Measles, rubella, parotitis can provoke reactive meningitis. The provocateurs of the disease are otitis media, sinusitis, furunculosis, lung abscess and other purulent diseases, as well as the presence of a craniocerebral injury and back injury. Premature and weakened children are also at risk.

Features of the disease in children

In young children, the disease can develop in utero if the mother is already sick with meningitis or another disease that provoked a corresponding infection in the newborn.

Childhood reactive meningitis strikes a child at lightning speed and can lead to death within a few hours. In all cases, there are complications that can occur immediately or occur later.

Symptoms of the disease

Reactive meningitis is manifested by the following characteristic symptoms:

severe headache radiating to the neck and back;
a sharp increase in temperature;
disturbance of consciousness;
pain in muscles and joints, "aches" throughout the body;
irritability, constantly sleepy;
nausea and vomiting;
hypersensitivity to light, sounds, touch;
the occipital and cervical muscles become hard;
red spots appear on the skin;
early complications and nerve damage: paresis, deafness, paralysis;
in small children, a large fontanelle on the head swells and strongly pulsates.

Adults and children tend to lie down in the “pointing dog” position: pressing their legs to their stomachs and throwing their heads back, all this happens while lying on their side. This is also one of the signs of meningitis.

How is the diagnosis made?

An accurate diagnosis can only be made with a lumbar puncture. Only this study can distinguish meningitis from other diseases that are similar in symptoms.

But such a study takes time, so blood is urgently taken for general and biochemical analysis. In addition, an examination of the fundus, EEG, X-ray of the skull, CT and MRI is performed.

An accurate diagnosis of the patient is made on three main grounds: specific symptoms of meningitis, signs indicating infection of the patient, and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Health care

Treatment of reactive meningitis is carried out only in a hospital, most often in the intensive care unit.

For young patients and adults, the principle of treatment is almost the same, there can only be prescriptions for different groups of antibiotics, but this depends on the patient's well-being and the reaction of his body to the drug.

Young patients always have complications that occur immediately with the disease or later.

The goal of therapy is to prevent cerebral edema and sad consequences for the patient, and also to start treatment as early as possible.

Immediately begins treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, the highest possible doses. For this, drugs from the groups of penicillins, cephalosporins and macrolides are used.

In 20% of cases, the cause of the disease is never identified, which is why antibiotics are immediately prescribed, acting on all harmful microorganisms.

If the patient's condition worsens, the drug can be injected into the spinal canal. A course of antibiotics is prescribed for a period of at least 10 days, but if there are purulent foci in the brain area, then the course is extended.

If the drugs used: Penicillin, Ceftriaxone and Cefotaxime do not help, and the patient is threatened with fatal complications, then Vancomycin and Carbapenem are used, which have serious side effects.

In addition, therapy is carried out to relieve symptoms with the following drugs:

antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - the removal of cramps and spasms in the muscles;
glucocorticoids - improving the functioning of the adrenal glands;
Furosemide - prevention of cerebral edema;
Sorbilact - if there is already swelling;
for general therapy, saline solutions, plasma substitutes, and antipyretics are administered using droppers.

In the first hours of treatment, all drugs are administered intravenously - this is how the drug works most effectively, helping to avoid the occurrence of toxic shock. It is on time that the treatment started will help to cope with the disease without serious consequences for the patient.

Before the arrival of the ambulance, it is necessary for the patient to ensure physical and mental peace, to create maximum comfort, because all his feelings are aggravated.

It is necessary to close the windows with curtains, isolate from noise and screaming, to reduce the pain syndrome, put ice or rags soaked in cold water on the head, arms to the elbows and legs to the knees, changing them as they warm up. The patient can be given a drug for headache.

Complications and prognosis

In reactive meningitis, the prognosis can be favorable for middle-aged people if treatment is started in a timely manner. For infants and the elderly, treatment often does not bring any effect, since the course of the disease passes rapidly, symptoms and complications arise on the rise.

Possible complications of fulminant meningitis are:

DIC - the formation of clots in the blood, spots on the skin merge into one spot, gangrene may begin on the hands and feet, as well as blood accumulations in the mouth, in the eyes and sclera;
mental retardation in children;
paralysis;
deafness;
septic shock;
blindness;
decrease in sodium ions in the blood.

In the case of all points of treatment, mortality from reactive meningitis occurs in 10% of all cases.

The main point of prevention of fulminant meningitis is vaccination, however, vaccination does not guarantee complete protection against infection.

In addition, crowded places should be avoided, especially during the epidemic. Patients with meningitis should be isolated from healthy ones, sending them to a hospital. All personal hygiene procedures must be strictly observed. Going on a trip or a trip, study the situation with infections in the area.

If you find symptoms similar to meningitis in yourself or your loved ones, you should immediately consult a doctor, but it is better to call an ambulance. Only timely and correct treatment gives a chance to avoid death or serious consequences for the patient.

Reactive meningitis is an acute infectious inflammatory disease of the brain and spinal cord. It occurs in people of any age, but most often premature newborns, people with back injuries, and diseases of the central nervous system get sick.

A feature of this disease is its suddenness, spontaneity, transience. Therefore, it is also called "fulminant meningitis" - it can kill adults in one day, and small children in a few hours. This is what distinguishes it from other forms.

Causes of the disease

The causative agent of the disease is meningococcal bacillus, which spreads by airborne droplets. Therefore, you can get infected by visiting a clinic, while riding in transport, a store, and so on.

Measles, rubella, parotitis can provoke reactive meningitis. The provocateurs of the disease are otitis media, sinusitis, furunculosis, lung abscess and other purulent diseases, as well as the presence and back injuries. Premature and weakened children are also at risk.

Features of the disease in children

In young children, the disease can develop in utero if the mother is already sick with meningitis or another disease that provoked a corresponding infection in the newborn.

Childhood reactive meningitis strikes a child at lightning speed and can lead to death within a few hours. In all cases, there are complications that can occur immediately or occur later.

Symptoms of the disease

Reactive meningitis is manifested by the following characteristic symptoms:

How is the diagnosis made?

An accurate diagnosis can only be made with a lumbar puncture. Only this study can distinguish from other diseases similar in symptoms.

But such a study takes time, so blood is urgently taken for general and biochemical analysis. In addition, an examination of the fundus, x-ray of the skull, and.

An accurate diagnosis of the patient is made on three main grounds: specific symptoms of meningitis, signs indicating infection of the patient, and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Health care

Treatment of reactive meningitis is carried out only in a hospital, most often in the intensive care unit. For young patients and adults, the principle of treatment is almost the same, there can only be prescriptions for different groups of antibiotics, but this depends on the patient's well-being and the reaction of his body to the drug. Young patients always have complications that occur immediately with the disease or later.

The goal of therapy is to prevent unfortunate consequences for the patient, as well as to start treatment as early as possible.

Immediately begins treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, the highest possible doses. For this, drugs from the groups of penicillins, cephalosporins and macrolides are used.

In 20% of cases, the cause of the disease is never identified, which is why antibiotics are immediately prescribed, acting on all harmful microorganisms.

If the drugs used: Penicillin, Ceftriaxone and Cefotaxime do not help, and the patient is threatened with fatal complications, then Vancomycin and Carbapenem are used, which have serious side effects.

In addition, therapy is carried out to relieve symptoms with the following drugs:

antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - the removal of cramps and spasms in the muscles;
glucocorticoids - improving the functioning of the adrenal glands;
Furosemide - prevention of cerebral edema;
Sorbilact - if there is already swelling;
for general therapy, saline solutions, plasma substitutes, and antipyretics are administered using droppers.

Before the arrival of the ambulance, it is necessary for the patient to ensure physical and mental peace, to create maximum comfort, because all his feelings are aggravated.

Complications and prognosis

Possible complications of fulminant meningitis are:

DIC - the formation of clots in the blood, spots on the skin merge into one spot, gangrene may begin on the hands and feet, as well as blood accumulations in the mouth, in the eyes and sclera;
mental retardation in children;
paralysis;
deafness;
septic shock;
blindness;
decrease in sodium ions in the blood.

In the case of all points of treatment, mortality from reactive meningitis occurs in 10% of all cases.

The main point of prevention of fulminant meningitis is vaccination, however, vaccination does not guarantee complete protection against infections.

If you find symptoms similar to meningitis in yourself or your loved ones, you should immediately consult a doctor, but it is better to call an ambulance. Only timely and correct treatment gives a chance to avoid death or serious consequences for the patient.

Inflammation often occurs due to an infection that has entered the body. It can be localized in any tissues, depending on the cause of the appearance, and the most dangerous is meningitis. It is characterized by the development of the inflammatory process of the membrane of both the spinal cord and the brain. The disease can occur independently or as a result of another pathological process. The most dangerous consequences are in reactive meningitis.

To date, this form of the disease has not actually been studied; there is only general information that allows it to be diagnosed. It is known that the transience of this type of disease is much higher than that of simple meningitis. That is why it is necessary to detect this pathological process in time and start a course of therapy, otherwise the patient will face a coma or death.

Transient meningitis is a very rapidly developing infectious disease, so doctors consider it extremely dangerous. Already in the first 24 hours, the patient must be provided with urgent assistance, because on the second day death usually occurs. When it comes to the child, then even less time. Death from reactive meningitis in a baby occurs within 3-4 hours after infection, so doctors simply do not have enough time to make this diagnosis and start treatment. Already in the first stages of the pathology, the development of inflammatory and autoimmune processes in the membranes of the brain is observed.

Reactive, or as it was also called by the people, fulminant meningitis has the following causes:

Injury to the back or head;
Diseases of a chronic nature;
Furunculosis, localized in the face and neck.

This type of meningitis sometimes occurs as a result of diseases that are characterized by an inflammatory process:

Abscess;
Carditis;
Otitis;
Pyelonephritis;
Sinusitis.

You can find out what reactive meningitis is by its principle of action. This disease is characterized by disruptions in the microcirculation of the cerebrospinal (cerebrospinal) fluid. It begins to be produced and absorbed worse and, at the same time, cerebral edema develops. Such pathological changes are not the worst. Against the background of these processes, the patient's pressure increases inside the cranium and, in fact, dropsy of the brain appears instantly, which is called hydrocephalus. The next stage in the development of reactive meningitis is the spread of the inflammatory process to the nerves of the brain and spinal cord.

The disease does not have a specific localization and can be found in any part of the planet, but most often suffer from this type of meningitis in poor countries, for example, in African states. The main source of the disease is another person who is its carrier. Most cases of infection occur in autumn and spring due to high humidity.

Causes of infection

The following infections can cause a fulminant type of meningitis:

pneumococcal;
meningococcal;
Streptococcal.

In rare cases, the pathology is caused by a fungus and even a virus. It is transmitted in the following ways:

Lymphogenic. The spread of infection occurs through the lymph;
Contact. Infection occurs due to head trauma;
Perineural. The infection passes into the brain tissue due to inflammation of the nerves;
Airborne. The disease is transmitted through the air, for example, when an infected person coughs close to a healthy one;
Hematogenous. Initially, the infection enters the bloodstream, and then reaches the brain;
Placental. This route of transmission occurs through the placenta from mother to baby.

Often there were cases when a reactive type of meningitis developed against the background of a severe head or back injury. That is why even with minor injuries in these departments, doctors advise to lie down in the hospital for a while. The disease can be transmitted by eating unwashed food or by poor hygiene, such as dirty hands. In children, meningitis appears due to tonsillitis or pneumonia.

When the perineural process has begun, when the inflammation is transferred to the brain tissue from the affected nerves, the disease proceeds very quickly. In such a situation, it is necessary to have time to stop the pathology, focusing on the emerging symptoms.

Signs of the disease

According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health, 20% of the total number of patients with meningitis suffer from its fulminant appearance. That is why it is important to detect it in time according to the symptoms characteristic of this disease:

A swollen fontanel (area on the back of the head) in an infant;
Rash localized all over the body;
Sore throat;
Temporary weakening (paresis) and paralysis of muscles;
Loss of orientation in space;
temporary deafness;
Arrhythmia (rhythm failure) of the heart;
General weakness;
Temperature jumps;
Groundless irritability;
Drowsiness;
Nausea and vomiting;
Feelings of heaviness and aches in the body;
Pain in the head, neck and back;
Thickening of muscle tissue on the back of the head and neck.

Due to the manifestations of reactive meningitis, it is convenient for the patient to be in a certain position, in which the head is thrown back, and the legs bent at the knees are tightly pressed to the stomach. It is in this position that a person becomes a little easier and the headache decreases, which cannot be reduced even with special preparations.

With the development of the disease, the following symptoms appear:

The color of urine (urine) becomes a dark shade;
There are cutting pains in the stomach;
There are changes in the composition of the blood;
Pain in the muscles increases significantly and reacts to loud sounds and light;
Hemorrhages become noticeable under the skin;
There are cramps in the lower extremities, especially in the calf muscles;
Sensitivity is impaired;
The patient becomes apathetic to the outside world;
There are tonic convulsions;
The temperature rises up to 40°

During the development of fulminant meningitis, a person often forms small blood clots that can affect the development of shock. This phenomenon has its own signs:

The skin on the feet and hands becomes closer to an ashy shade;
The patient's speech becomes confused;
There are pains in the chest area and the heartbeat quickens;
The pressure rises.

During a state of shock, the skin, despite the high temperature, remains cold. The patient feels restless and overexcited.

All the described symptoms occur in the patient in the first 24 hours of the development of reactive meningitis. If 2-3 signs are found, you should immediately go to the hospital to prevent further complications.

Course of therapy

In most cases, if the patient went to the doctor on time, the disease could be stopped. First of all, it will be necessary to conduct an urgent diagnosis. It includes a general examination, questioning the patient and analysis of the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid, and it is taken with the help of a lumbar puncture. The last point is especially important and it is on it that the doctor will make his conclusion and, if necessary, prescribe a course of therapy.

There are complications that arise after the course of treatment, namely:

Septic shock (reduced blood circulation of tissues);
Hyponatremia (low concentration of sodium in the blood);
Increased blood clotting.

If such a terrible disease is diagnosed, it is necessary to urgently begin a course of treatment in order to prevent irreversible consequences. For this purpose, doctors usually use the following groups of medicines:

Muscle relaxants;
Antipyretics;
Antispasmodics.

Saline solutions, plasma substitutes, and diazepam may also be useful in treatment. If the patient has kidney failure, the doctor will prescribe him glucocorticosteroids in the form of injections. The following classes of antibiotics are often prescribed for reactive meningitis:

Cephalosporins;
macrolides;
Penicillins.

Due to the lightning-fast development of the disease, medicines are used in the form of injections. In especially advanced cases, drugs are injected directly into the spinal canal.

With meningitis, swelling of the brain often occurs. To prevent it, Furasemide and Sorbilact should be taken. This should be done in conjunction with the main treatment.

It is impossible to cure pathology while being at home. Self-medication will not only worsen the patient's condition, but can also lead to death. Folk remedies in such a situation should be taken only after the disease has been stopped. Among them, decoctions of linden and wild rose are best suited.

The reactive type of meningitis is an extremely dangerous disease that can be fatal as early as on the 2nd day of development. Such a lightning-fast spread of infection should be stopped immediately after the onset of the first symptoms characteristic of the disease.