title: Clinical presentations, diagnosis, and prognostic factors of bacterial meningitis.
abstract: The clinical presentations of children and adults with bacterial meningitis have not changed over the past several decades, and a high index of suspicion remains critical for timely identification of infected patients. With the virtual disappearance of H. influenzae type B meningitis (Hib) in areas of the world where Hib conjugate vaccine is administered routinely, the utility of commercially available tests for rapid detection of bacterial polysaccharides has diminished. Detection of gene products of meningeal pathogens in cerebrospinal fluid or blood is still experimental. The prognostic findings of recent studies are not different from those previously described, despite advances in the supportive care of critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003243:Consciousness; D003422:Critical Care; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018450:Disease Progression; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013129:Spinal Puncture
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial