RT Book, Section
A1 Nath, Avindra
A1 Koroshetz, Walter J.
A1 Wilson, Michael R.
A2 Loscalzo, Joseph
A2 Fauci, Anthony
A2 Kasper, Dennis
A2 Hauser, Stephen
A2 Longo, Dan
A2 Jameson, J. Larry
SR Print(0)
ID 1198219932
T1 Chronic and Recurrent Meningitis
T2 Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21e
YR 2022
FD 2022
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781264268504
LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1198219932
RD 2024/04/24
AB Chronic  inflammation  of  the  meninges  (pia,  arachnoid,  and  dura)  can  produce  profound  neurologic  disability  and  may  be  fatal  if  not  successfully  treated.  Chronic  meningitis  is  diagnosed  when  a  characteristic  neurologic  syndrome  exists  for  >4  weeks  and  is  associated  with  a  persistent  inflammatory  response  in  the  cerebrospinal  fluid  (CSF)  (white  cell  count  >5/μL).  The  causes  are  varied,  and  appropriate  treatment  depends  on  identification  of  the  etiology.  Five  categories  of  disease  account  for  most  cases  of  chronic  meningitis:  (1)  meningeal  infections,  (2)  malignancy,  (3)  autoimmune  inflammatory  disorders,  (4)  chemical  meningitis,  and  (5)  parameningeal  infections.  In  addition,  there  is  increasing  recognition  that  some  patients  with  recurrent  meningitis  may  have  monogenic  autoinflammatory  disorders.