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Infections of the Central Nervous System
Book chapter

Infections of the Central Nervous System

Michael Blank and Allan R Tunkel
Pathy's Principles and Practice of Geriatric Medicine, pp 1447-1463
13 Apr 2012

Abstract

brain abscess Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease encephalitis epidural abscess meningitis postpolio syndrome subdural empyema
Central nervous system infections are frequently devastating and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Although the brain possesses several defence mechanisms (e.g. intact cranium, blood–brain barrier) to prevent infection, once microorganisms reach the central nervous system, host defence mechanisms are inadequate to control the infection. Antimicrobial therapy is also limited by the poor penetration of many agents into the central nervous system. This chapter reviews meningitis, brain abscess, subdural empyema, epidural abscess, encephalitis, postpolio syndrome and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, stressing recent developments in diagnosis and therapy and the use of adjunctive treatment strategies that have been shown to improve outcome in patients with some of these devastating infections.

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