Serous meningitis: signs, diagnosis

Serous meningitis is called inflammatoryThe process that developed on the shells covering the brain and spinal cord. This is displayed on the cerebrospinal fluid in such a way that an increased number of immunity cells appears in it. And if in the purulent process most of these cells will be represented by neutrophilic leukocytes, then serous meningitis (signs in the cerebrospinal fluid) is an increase in the cellular composition due to lymphocytes.

What causes this disease

The main cause of serous meningitis is viruses. They can get to a person in various ways. But one penetration into the body is small - serous meningitis (signs of it) appears in the event that either the human immunity can not provide sufficient resistance to the microbe, or the virus will be so aggressive that it can freely overcome its own defense of the brain.

Some types of serous meningitis are causedbacteria (tubercle bacillus, leptospira, listeria), it can also be caused by fungi (cryptococci) or bacteria-like microbes (rickettsia). In this case, serous meningitis will be secondary, that is, a complication of the general disease.

Serous meningitis: signs

The disease usually begins with catarrhalphenomena: a runny nose, coughing, pain, or sore throat. Body temperature may increase. If serous meningitis is caused by enteroviruses, precede the symptoms directly of meningitis can:

- a rash of reddish color, which evenly covers the entire body, while grouping in the region of the forearms with brushes and legs with stops;

- pain and pain in the eyes with their sharp redness;

severe sore throat;

- a loose stool, which usually does not have any impurities of blood and mucus, does not change color.

Symptoms of viral meningitis may appear on thethe background of a few days of herpetic, chickenpox rashes or measles, rubella, mumps, the virus in this case takes time to get to the protective brain barrier and pass through it.

Symptoms of meningitis proper include:

- temperature increase;

- severe headache, which is difficult for somethingremove, which is amplified by ascent, active movements of the head, bends; can increase with nervous tension, when watching movies, reading or other load on the visual analyzer;

- nausea and vomiting without diarrhea, but against a background of headache (less often - pain in the back);

- pain in the eyes when looking at the light source;

- unpleasant sensations if to put more strong pressure on a skin in any area of ​​a body;

- the inability to bring the chin to the sternum in a prone position, when testing this symptom there is a drawing pain in the neck and back;

- convulsions of different severity;

- inadequacy;

- lethargy, drowsiness, apathy, which have the property of increasing.

Sometimes meningitis is purulent and serous in clinicalmanifestations difficult to distinguish. Only lumbar puncture, which is necessary for accurate diagnosis verification, can help in setting the right diagnosis and prescribing the right treatment.

What if you found serous meningitis (signs of it) in yourself or with a relative?

Be sure to call an ambulance thatwill take you or a loved one to a hospital. Help with meningitis is only in the hospital, because it is deadly and at the same time unpredictable disease, and at home it is not treated.

The diagnosis is based only on the resultslumbar puncture, which will be known within an hour and a half after admission to the hospital. This manipulation is very important. It will not only show whether there is meningitis or not, but it will also help to distinguish the purulent variant from serous, to assess the degree of its severity, on which the therapy directly depends. In addition, after puncture it usually becomes easier, and a few drops of CSF, sent for bacteriological and serological examination, will help determine the type, type of pathogen, its sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs.

So, if you found yourself or someone close to youhuman signs coinciding with those listed above, contact the hospital. No forums and online help (especially not a specialist) will not help you in diagnosis better than the specialist does.