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Bacterial meningitis: an important healthcare issue in focus

Meningitis B, caused by Neisseria meningitidis, erupted in the news recently after an outbreak among students in the south-east of England, resulting in significant morbidity and several deaths. Here, Pathology in Practice Science Editor Brian Nation looks at a selection of current research into the wider sphere of bacterial meningitis.

Bacterial Meningitis

Bulaeva A, Derber C. Med Clin North Am. 2025 May; 109 (3): 587-99. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2024.12.012.

Community-acquired bacterial meningitis has a high fatality rate, and survivors may have significant long-term neurologic sequelae, despite appropriate antibiotics. Although cerebrospinal fluid cultures and/ or PCR testing are necessary to establish a definitive case of bacterial meningitis, antibiotic administration should never be delayed while waiting to obtain a lumbar puncture.

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