title: [When should you suspect meningitis?].
abstract: Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening disease with a high mortality if left untreated. School-age children, adolescents and adults often present with typical symptoms such as fever, headache, neck stiffness and altered mental status, whereas infants show rather unspecific symptoms.The important task of the primary physician is to recognize the life-threatening condition in time and to refer the patient immediately to the next hospital.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für, Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Heidelberg. Soeren.Huwendiek@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Sören
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huwendiek
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tönshoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004630:Emergencies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D010808:Physical Examination; D011379:Prognosis; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents