title: Bacterial meningitis: insights into pathogenesis and evaluation of new treatment options: a perspective from experimental studies.
abstract: Bacterial meningitis is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Bacterial components induce an overshooting inflammatory reaction, eventually leading to brain damage. Pathological correlates of neurofunctional deficits include cortical necrosis, damage of the inner ear and hippocampal apoptosis. The hippocampal dentate gyrus is important for memory acquisition and harbors a neuronal stem cell niche, thus being potentially well equipped for regeneration. Adjuvant therapies aimed at decreasing the inflammatory reaction, for example, dexamethasone, and those protecting the brain from injury have been evaluated in animal models of the disease. They include nonbacteriolytic antibiotics (e.g., daptomycin), metalloproteinase inhibitors and modulators of the immunological response, for example, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Increasing research interest has recently been focused on interventions aimed at supporting regenerative processes.
authors.affiliation: Neuroinfection Laboratory, Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Friedbühlstr. 51, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabian D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Liechti
authors.affiliation: Neuroinfection Laboratory, Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Friedbühlstr. 51, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grandgirard
authors.affiliation: Neuroinfection Laboratory, Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Friedbühlstr. 51, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland.|Biology Division, Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, CH-3700 Spiez, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Leib
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D055495:Neurogenesis; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D003907:Dexamethasone
keywords: Streptococcus pneumoniae; animal model; bacterial meningitis; brain injury; dentate gyrus; neurogenesis; neuroinfection; neuroinflammation