The diagnosis of meningitis is mainly made by clinical observation of the symptoms of the disease and is confirmed by a lumbar puncture examination, which consists of the extraction of a small amount of fluid from the spinal canal, which could show if there is inflammation of the meninges and the causal agent, which is essential for diagnosis and to direct the treatment of the disease.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes lining the brain and entire spinal cord, causing symptoms such as fever, nausea, stiffness and severe pain. Your diagnosis should be better prepared to start treatment and prevent complications, such as brain damage that causes permanent damage. including the disease See more details about the disease.
Tests and exams your doctor may request include
The initial diagnosis of meningitis is made by the evaluation of symptoms by the doctor, if the person has difficulty moving the body, high and sudden fever, sea, difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to light, lack of appetite, thirst and mental confusion, for example.
Based on the evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, the doctor may request further tests to complete the diagnosis. Learn more about other symptoms of meningitis.
Fluid culture, called cerebrospinal fluid or CSF, is one of the main laboratory tests needed to diagnose meningitis. This test involves taking a sample of CSF, a fluid that surrounds the central nervous system, using a lumbar puncture, that is sent to the lab. for analysis and research of microorganisms.
This test is uncomfortable, but fast and usually causes headaches and more after the procedure; in some cases, it can relieve symptoms of meningitis by lowering head pressure.
The onset of this fluid could indicate whether the person has bacterial meningitis because in this case the fluid could be cloudy and in the case of TB meningitis could be slightly cloudy, in other types the appearance could remain clean and transparent as water.
Blood or blood samples may also be requested to help diagnose meningitis. The urine test may indicate infections due to the display of bacteria and countless leukocytes in the urine and may also indicate a urine culture to identify the microorganism.
A blood test is often requested to determine the person’s overall condition, which could indicate an increase in the number of leukocytes and neutrophils, as well as identifying atypical lymphocytes for blood formula counts and an increase in the concentration of PCR in the blood, depending on whether it indicates an infection.
Normally, when there is a sign of bacterial infection, bacteriosis may be recommended and in case of hospitalization, a blood culture, which involves growing the blood sample in the laboratory, to detect a blood infection. In the case of bacteriosis, the sample taken from the patient is used with Gram dye and analyzed immediately under the microscope, to check the characteristics of the bacteria and help diagnose it.
Depending on the results of microbiological tests, it is possible to check which antibiotic is sensitive to the microorganism, and is therefore the most recommended for the treatment of meningitis.
Imaging tests, such as CT and MRI, are only indicated in cases of brain injury spasm or meningitis-induced sequelae. There are signs of suspects when the person has seizures, an alteration in the size of the pupils of the eye and the suspicion of TB meningitis.
For the diagnosis of the disease the patient must stay in the hospital for a few days in order to start treatment, using antibiotics in case of bacterial meningitis or drugs to lower the disease and decrease the disease in case of viral meningitis.
The vase tube is a simple tube that can be used to help diagnose meningococcal meningitis, which is a type of bacterial meningitis characterized by the presence of red spots on the skin. The problem is pressing a transparent glass vase on the arm and checking if the stains remain and are visible through the vase, which can characterize the disease.