The human brain can be called centralcommanding authority. There are not only centers responsible for understanding and reproduction of speech, limb movement, memory and processing of visual information. The brain contains in its structure a center for the regulation of the activity of blood vessels and the heart, the main thermoregulator, a site that controls breathing, and many other important areas. That is why this body is so reliably protected: it is covered with three shells, between which liquid layers are located for cushioning, and at the cellular level it is "guarded" by the barrier from the cells.
If any of the microbes falls on one of theshells of the brain and provokes its inflammatory changes, develops meningitis. The diseased tissue swells, blood circulation intensifies in it, in order to help it to clear itself of the infection faster. Cells of the immune system, which are also involved in this process, are actively excreted into the cerebrospinal fluid performing amortization and providing a role for the brain and its membranes.
What is serous meningitis?This is when the analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (ie cerebrospinal fluid) contains more cells than in the norm (the norm for an adult is 10 cells in 1 microliter, in children a little more), with most of them represented by lymphocytes. It is these cells of the immune system that are the first to participate in viral processes, and serous meningitis is almost always caused by viruses.
What is serous meningitis and how is it caused?
The disease is caused by microbes that can overcome the cellular defense that the brain is shielded. These are mostly viruses:
- enteroviruses, which are transmitted by airborne droplets, through kisses, with the use of thermally untreated water, milk, fermented milk and some other products;
- herpes simplex viruses that can getto a person in completely different ways: both airborne and during sexual intercourse, and when the contents of the herpetic vesicle get on the skin or mucosa of another person, and from the mother to the child during pregnancy and childbirth;
- viruses of chickenpox, mumps, measles, rubella, adenoviruses, "arriving" through the air from a sick person;
- viruses that can get caught with a tick bite.
Serous meningitis incubation period in thisThe case has from 2 to 14 days (an average of 5-8), then the symptoms common to many illnesses (cough, fever, rash or diarrhea) usually develop, and only then signs that are specific to meningitis appear.
Serous meningitis can also be caused by bacteria.These are a few microbes: tubercle bacillus, leptospira, rickettsia, listeria. Mushrooms, which can often be the causative agents of meningitis in HIV infection, also cause exactly serous meningitis.
This disease often begins with manifestations of a viral illness: there are coughing, runny nose, colds, measles, chicken pox and so on. Then appear:
1) temperature rise to high (usually) numbers:it can be a "second wave" of hyperthermia (that is, before that the temperature has already managed to recover), and maybe fever that does not stop from the first days of the disease;
2) severe headache, which is worse with head movements, when standing up, it is usually localized throughout the head;
3) nausea, vomiting, which may occur outside the connection with food intake;
4) a rash: as with chickenpox, measles, rubella, with enteroviral meningitis appear small red specks abundant throughout the body;
5) photophobia;
6) lethargy, weakness, a person tries to lie more;
7) increased skin sensitivity.
The case history "Serous meningitis" should cover all these nuances:
- How the disease began;
- with what a person connects his appearance (hypothermia, contact with a sick cold or diarrhea);
- what symptoms appeared later, whether there was a positive reaction to taking pain medications;
- objective symptoms, which the doctor checks to justify the need for lumbar puncture;
- the quantity and quality of the cellular composition of the CSF, protein, protein-sediment assays, electrolytes of cerebrospinal fluid;
- Biochemical blood tests;
- PCR-study of CSF on DNA of herpes simplex viruses, CMV, VEB;
- bacteriological examination of blood and liquor;
- treatment;
- diaries of monitoring the dynamics of disease progression;
- a picture of the dynamics of changes in cerebrospinal fluid.
