The Medical clinics of North America
-
Bacterial meningitis is an acute and serious illness associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although methods to make the diagnosis are relatively simple and effective antimicrobial agents are available, bacterial meningitis accounts for more than 2000 reported deaths per year in the United States. The majority of cases and deaths occur in otherwise healthy individuals.
-
The results of CT brain scan in diagnosing and monitoring the course of brain abscesses and the recognition of the major role that anaerobic bacteria play in causing this disease have led to a reduction in disease mortality and have allowed a greater percentage of infected patients to recover without major neurosurgical procedures. Monitoring intracranial pressure, the availability of new antibiotics, and recognition and treatment of some of the more unusual syndromes associated with defective or suppressed immune systems have helped lead to a reduction in disease mortality from about 50 per cent to 10 per cent with excellent functional recovery in the majority of the patients.