Bacterial meningitis!!
This is a case of acute meningitis, notice the brain surrounded by the yellow-tan exudate or pus under the dura, obstructing the sulci. The leptomeninges underneath the dura appears to be edematous with multiple small hemorrhagic spots. Meningitis refers to inflammation of the meningeal membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal meningitis can be acute and deadly, it is a bacterial form of meningitis, a serious infection of the meninges that affects the brain membrane, causing severe brain damage and is fatal in 50% of cases if untreated. Neisseria meningitidis is one of the main causes. It essentially affects only humans and is transmitted from person-to-person through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions. It overwhelms the body’s defenses and immune system, allowing infection to spread through the bloodstream to the brain. Clinical signs may include: headache, neck stiffness (from irritation of spinal nerve roots), fever, and clouded consciousness. The disease can typically cause death within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms, if not treated properly. In those who survive, some may be left with permanent brain damage, hearing loss or a learning disability. The diagnosis can be make by CSF examination by a lumbar puncture, showing a purulent spinal fluid. This should be followed by a series of confirmatory tests such as cell count, gram stain, and blood culture. The good thing is, the infection can be effectively treated with by a range of antibiotics, including penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol and ceftriaxone.
