Guidelines
Meningitis

Meningitis

Notes

No single exam finding can rule in or rule out meningitis.

Acute bacterial meningitis develops rapidly and patients will generally exhibit at least two of:

  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Mental status change
  • Neck stiffness

Routine: culture, gram stain, protein, glucose, cell count and differential, lactate, viral PCR panel (HSV, VZV, enterovirus, parechovirus)

Consider: CSF VDRL and syphilis serology, fungal culture/cryptococcal antigen/serum cryptococcal antigen, acid fast bacilli, West Nile PCR/serology

Need for CT Head Prior to LP?