Pathophysiology of Meningitis

Predisposing Factors
- Age

Precipitating Factors
- Environment
- Poor Hygiene
- Malnutrition

Direct/indirect contact with an infected

person

Acquire Infectious Agents like

parasite, virus, bacteria, and fungus.

Initially, the infectious agent colonizes or

establishes a localized infection in the host.

Through infecting

Skin, nasopharynx,
respiratory tract,
gastrointestinal tract, or
genitourinary tract.

Fever
Irritability
Poor Sucking
Reflex

From this site, the organism invades the submucosa

by circumventing host defenses, like physical
barriers, local immunity, phagocytes/macrophages
by

invasion of the bloodstream

like bacteremia, viremia,
fungemia, parasitemia

a retrograde neuronal pathway

like like olfactory and peripheral
nerves

M E N I N GI T I S

direct contiguous spread like

sinusitis, and otitis media