Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Recording Horizontal Saccade Performances Accurately in Neurological Patients Using Electro-oculogram
06:12

Recording Horizontal Saccade Performances Accurately in Neurological Patients Using Electro-oculogram

Published on: March 13, 2018

11.1K

Neurological sequelae remain frequent after bacterial meningitis in children

Morten B Svendsen1, Inge Ring Kofoed2, Henrik Nielsen1,3

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|July 21, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Neurological sequelae are common after childhood bacterial meningitis, affecting over a quarter of survivors. Abnormal cranial imaging is a key independent risk factor for these adverse outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Childhood community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) can lead to significant neurological deficits.
  • Understanding the incidence and risk factors for these sequelae is crucial for early intervention and improved patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence and clinical presentation of neurological sequelae in children with CABM.
  • To identify risk factors associated with the development of neurological sequelae following CABM.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective study included children aged 1 month to 15 years diagnosed with CABM in the North Denmark Region between 1998 and 2016.
  • Data on demographics, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale) were collected from medical records.
  • Modified Poisson regression was used to analyze risk factors for neurological sequelae among survivors.

Main Results:

  • The study identified 88 cases of CABM in 86 children. The most common pathogen was Neisseria meningitidis.
  • Neurological sequelae were observed in 27% of cases, including hearing deficits (15%), cognitive impairment (12%), and motor/sensory deficits (9%).
  • Abnormalities on cranial imaging were identified as the sole independent risk factor for neurological sequelae in the adjusted analysis.

Conclusions:

  • Neurological sequelae following childhood bacterial meningitis are frequent.
  • Abnormal cranial imaging is a significant independent predictor of neurological sequelae in this population.
Abstract

Keywords:
bacterial meningitisdexamethasonelong-term sequelaeneurological impairmentrisk factors

More Related Videos

Isolating Central Nervous System Tissues and Associated Meninges for the Downstream Analysis of Immune cells09:35

Isolating Central Nervous System Tissues and Associated Meninges for the Downstream Analysis of Immune cells

Published on: May 19, 2020

10.7K
Studying Brain Function in Children Using Magnetoencephalography08:00

Studying Brain Function in Children Using Magnetoencephalography

Published on: April 8, 2019

9.6K

Related Concept Videos

Cranial and Spinal Meninges01:19

Cranial and Spinal Meninges

The cranial and spinal meninges are complex protective structures surrounding the central nervous system (CNS), consisting of the brain and spinal cord. These meninges consist of the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater. They protect the CNS, provide structural support, and aid in circulating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Cranial Meninges
These meningeal layers cover the cranium. The dura mater is the outermost layer of cranial meninges. It is a thick and durable membrane of dense...
3.7K
Bacterial Signaling01:30

Bacterial Signaling

Bacterial signaling can occur within bacteria (intracellular) or between bacteria (intercellular). At times, a group of bacteria behaves like a community. To achieve this, they engage in quorum sensing, the perception of higher cell density that causes changes in gene expression. Quorum sensing involves both extracellular and intracellular signaling. The signaling cascade starts with a molecule called an autoinducer (AI). Individual bacteria produce AIs that move out of the bacterial cell...
40.1K
Bacterial Transformation01:33

Bacterial Transformation

In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
59.5K
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
262
Bacterial RNA Polymerase00:43

Bacterial RNA Polymerase

Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
32.5K
Bacterial Transcription01:53

Bacterial Transcription

RNA polymerase (RNAP) carries out DNA-dependent RNA synthesis in both bacteria and eukaryotes. Bacteria do not have a membrane-bound nucleus. So, transcription and translation occur simultaneously, on the same DNA template.
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
35.8K