TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - MENINGITIS, ENCEPHALITIS, BRAIN ABSCESS, AND EMPYEMA A1 - Roos, Karen L. A1 - Tyler, Kenneth L. A2 - Kasper, Dennis L. A2 - Fauci, Anthony S. PY - 2017 T2 - Harrison's Infectious Diseases, 3e AB - Acute infections of the nervous system are among the most important problems in medicine because early recognition, efficient decision making, and rapid institution of therapy can be lifesaving. These distinct clinical syndromes include acute bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, encephalitis, focal infections such as brain abscess and subdural empyema, and infectious thrombophlebitis. Each may present with a nonspecific prodrome of fever and headache, which in a previously healthy individual may initially be thought to be benign, until (with the exception of viral meningitis) altered consciousness, focal neurologic signs, or seizures appear. Key goals of early management are to emergently distinguish between these conditions, identify the responsible pathogen, and initiate appropriate antimicrobial therapy. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/29 UR - accessbiomedicalscience.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1141406956 ER -