Meningitis
What are the meninges?
The meninges are structures that as a cover sheet or wrapping the noble part of the brain. In this way, prevent germs or traumatic process directly affects the brain.
What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges. This process is found by analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.
What is CSF?
The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a fluid that protects the central nervous system structures, and is located in the head and throughout the spinal cord. The spinal cord has an approximate consistency of a pudding, and if it were rigidly anchored within the spine, any sudden movement that carried out or suffered any trauma that our back (from pushing to falls) may damage and the consequences would be serious . That is why nature designed a fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, in which the spinal cord floats, making it more difficult to damage.
When an inflammation of the meninges, the inflammatory cells (essentially all responsible for the defense of our body) and the germs that have caused the swelling go into the cerebrospinal fluid. The analysis of this fluid is via a lumbar puncture in a very precise area in which there is no spinal cord. You must insert a needle between two vertebrae, to collect a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid and power analysis.
What germs can cause meningitis?
The germs that cause meningitis are very varied and can be bacteria, viruses, fungi or other infectious agents, also inflammation of the meninges can be produced by chemical irritation or by an infiltration of malignant cells.
How do the pathogens to the meninges?
As already noted, the meninges are an internal structure of the head, hence, the germs penetrate this structure through three possible ways: through the blood, from a point near the meninges (eg, some inner ear infections) or by direct contact (occurs when there are open skull fractures or after neurosurgical intervention).
credit to: Dr. Pedro Gargantilla Madera, Dra. Gillian Rice