Chronic

Meningitis
Acute
Subarachn
Acute
Chronic
CSF
Meningitis
oid
Encephalit
Characteris NORMAL Meningitis
Tubercular Meningitis
- Viral
Hemorrha is Viral
tics
- Bacterial
[TB]
- Fungal
(Aseptic)
ge
(Myobacte
rium)
Glucose
(mg/dL)

40 80

Total
20 50
Protein
(mg/dL)
Opening
Pressure 50 180
(mmH2O)
Appearanc
e
RBCs
(mm3)

40 80

> 100

May be
elevated (50
100)

Elevated

< 40

< 40

> 100

> 100

Cloudy

Normal

0 ( -HSV)

40 80

50 100

50 100

Normal/Clou Normal/Clou
dy
dy

Pink Red,
Yellow

Elevated

100 1,000
200 20,000 10 1,000 100 1,000 100 1,000
(> 1,000) usually < (100 500) (100 500)
300

0
Elevated (> (High for 24
0
0 (< 10)
50)
hours, then
< 50)

Neutrophil
(%)

< 40

Normal/Slig
htly
Elevated
Elevated

Elevated/Ma
Elevated
y be normal

Clear

WBCs
[Leukocyte
< 5 (0 6)
s]
(mm3)

Lymph
(%)

< 40 (0 10)

60 70

May
Initially

Elevated

Elevated

Microscop
y

Negative

Positive

Negative

AFB Stain +

Culture

Negative

Positive

Negative

+/-

100 1,000

0 (< 10)

Elevated

May
Decrease
Initially

Elevated
Positive
Negative
(India Ink)
+/-

+/-

Negative

Brain
Abscess Neoplasia
Bacterial (Cancer)
or Fungal

40 80

< 40

Normal/
Increased
Normal/
Elevated

10 500 (in
HHV-1
infection)

10 500

10 100

0
(High for 24
hours, then
< 50)

< 50

Positive
Negative

CSF Characteristics

NORMAL

Acute Meningitis Bacterial

Acute Meningitis - Viral
(Aseptic)

Color/Appearance

Clear

50 180 (100 - 200)

Cloudy (Yellowish)/ Turbid

Normal

Chronic Meningitis Tubercular [TB]

(Myobacterium)

Normal/Cloudy
(Yellow/Viscous)

Chronic MeningitisFungal

Normal/Cloudy
(Yellow/Viscous)

Bloody CSF w/
Intracranial/Subarachnoi
Xanthochromia (Pink,
d Hemorrhage
yellowish)
Encephalitis Viral

Opening Pressure
(mmH2O)

Guillain-Barre Syndrome
& Multiple Sclerosis

Neuro-Syphilis

Child/Adult: 40 80
Simultaneous Serum
Glucose in:
Newborn: >60%
Infant: >50%

(<40 [0 10])

/May be normal

40 80

(<40)

Normal/Slightly

Normal/

Pink Red, Yellow

Normal or (<40)

(< 40)
40 80

Brain Abscess Bacterial

or Fungal
Neoplasia (Cancer)

Glucose (mg/dL)

40 80

Clear or Xanthochromic

Clear to Cloudy Fluid

Clear to Cloudy Fluid

Normal/
(>200)

Normal/ (< 40)

Normal

Normal

Normal/

Normal

Total Protein (mg/dL)

WBCs [Leukocytes] (mm3) Neutrophil (%)

Adults: <5 (no

predominance) 1-2
PMNs
(Term) Newborns: <20
CSF Protein is not related to
(<10% neutrophils)
Serum Protein levels (
Serum Protein does not
1 WBC for every 500-1,000
cause CSF protein)
CSF RBCs
Protein 1 mg/dL for every
No Neutrophils
1,000 CSF RBCs
< 6 lymphocytes

Lymph (%)

Newborn: <150
Child/Adult: 20 50

60 70

(>100)

(>1,000)
[200 20,000]

(>50)

May Initially

May be (50 100)

(usually < 300)

[10 1,000]

0
(High for 1st 24 hrs, then <
50)

(> 100)

(100 500)

Slightly (> 100) or Normal (100 500)

(Early [< 10])

(Late)

0 (< 10)
Monocytes

50 100
50 100

100 1,000

Normal/

10 500

0
(High for 1st 24 hrs, then <
50)

Normal/

Normal/ (10 100)

Normal/ (<50)

(>50)
(>>>50)

Normal
Normal

May Decrease Initially

Monocytes
Normal/ Lymphocytes

RBCs (mm3)

Microscopy

Culture

Negative

Negative

Positive
(60-90% Gram stain
positive)

Positive

0 ( in HSV)

Negative

Negative

AFB Stain +

+/-

Positive (India Ink)

Gram statin
yeast/pseudo-hyphae

+/-

Negative

+/-

Negative

10 500 (in HHV-1

infection)
Positive

Negative