Disease or Syndrome
bacterial meningitis
bac·te·ri·al men·in·gi·tis [ bak-teer-ee-uhl, -al men-in-jahy-tis ]
Subclass of:
Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections;
Meningitis
Definitions related to meningitis, bacterial:
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(bacterial meningitis) Bacterial infections of the leptomeninges and subarachnoid space, frequently involving the cerebral cortex, cranial nerves, cerebral blood vessels, spinal cord and nerve roots; causative organism varies with age and clinical status (eg, postoperative, immunodeficient, posttraumatic states); clinical manifestations include the acute onset of fever, stiff neck, altered mentation, seizures, and focal neurologic deficits; death may occur within 24 hours of disease onset; pathologic features include a purulent exudate in the subarachnoid space, and diffuse inflammation of neural and vascular structures.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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(bacterial meningitis) Inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord due to a bacterial infection.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Bacterial meningitis is a rare but serious inflammation of the meninges caused by various bacteria. Streptococcus pneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and Neisseria meningitidis are the predominant causative pathogens in both adults and children.Athenahealth, Inc., 2019
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