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A
14-year old male complained to his parents of feeling quite ill with
headache, dizziness, nausea, and feeling very weak. After a rise in
in his body temperature, an increase in the severity of his headache,
and the development of a rash, his mother took him into their medical
clinic where he was examined by a family nurse practitioner (FNP).
Upon examination, the FNP noted the patient also complained of a
stiffness in his neck and nausea. The patient had a temperature of
103.5 and an increased heart rate. She noted a rash had
developed on parts of the patient's extremities and wrists. Concerned
with meningitis, she consulted the clinic's family practice physician
and asked her to examine the patient.
1.
What symptoms did the patient exhibit that pointed to meningitis?
Upon
his examination, a complete blood count (CBC), blood for culture and
lumbar
puncture(LP)
were performed since there was a strong clinical suspicion of
bacterial
meningitis.
The LP examination included tests for the presence of bacteria (Gram
stain), cell count and differential, glucose and protein. A culture
of the fluid is also a standard test and detects the type of
bacteria, if any, that may be present. Radiology was called to
perform a CAT scan on the patient.
2.
Which health professional would perform the lumbar puncture?
3.
Which health professional would examine the CSF fluid?
4.
What is meningtitis?
5. What are common symptoms of
meningitis?
6. How is bacterial meningtis treated?
7.
How do people "catch" meningitis?
8. Have you had a
vaccine for a strain of meningitis?
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