CH 16 - Bacterial Diseases of the Nervous System

CNS is an axenic environment

blood/brain barrier prevents most microbes and large molecules (antibiotics) from entering brain

pathogens may access CNS

through breaks in bones, meninges

during medical procedures

travel from PNS to CNS

diseases by bacteria infecting cells in nervous system

meningitis

leprosy

diseases by bacteria growing and releasing neurotoxins all over body

botulism

tetanus

5 pathogens cause meningitis and which most important

haemophilus influenzae - leading cause prior to vaccine

streptococcus pneumoniae - lead cause in adults

streptococcus agalactiae - lead cause newborn meningitis

neisseria meningitidis - outbreak in colleges

listeria monocytogenes - disease in fetuses, pregnant women, immunocompromised from contaminated foods

Neisseria

G- diplococci

2 species neisseria pathogenic to humans

N gonorrhoeae

N meningitidis

neisseria pathogenic strains have

fimbriae for attachment

capsule

lipid A endotoxin

in some people N meningitidis normal microbiota of upper resp

life threatening when invade blood or CSF

most common cause meningitis ppl under 20

neisseria transmitted between

people living in close contact

other info neisseria epidemiology

meningitidis can death within 6 hrs initial symptoms

septicemia life threatening

petechiae result from septicemia

meningitis causative agent and pathogenicity

3 membranous coverings of brain and spinal cord

Neisseria meningitidis

endotoxins spread into blood/CSF cause shock