A Reading on

MENINGITIS

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in NCM 209 - RLE

OB-GYNE ROTATION

Submitted to:
PRADO, RN
Clinical Instructor

Submitted by:
MELANIE G. CABRIADAS, ST. N
BSN 2R

March 4, 2023
TITLE: Viral Meningitis: an overview

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Kohil A., Jemmieh S., Smatti M., Yassine H. (2020). Viral
Meningitis: an overview. Archives of Virology (2021) 166:335-345. doi:
10.1007/s00705-020-04891-1

SUMMARY:

In this article, the authors talked about common causative agents,

risk factors, clinical features, and diagnosis of the viral meningitis. First is we’re
going to define what is meningitis, so it is when a certain pathogen starts to infect
the immune cells, which will enter throughout its nervous system and entering the
cerebrospinal fluid as free pathogens thus inflaming the three protective
membrane layers in the brain and spinal cord in which we called the meninges.

Children and young adults are the most common age groups affected by
these. The reason for this in young children is unknown, but it could be explained
by their immune system's immaturity. When a certain causative agent enters its
host's body via the respiratory or oral-fecal routes, it causes a primary infection in
the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract, followed by a secondary infection in the
central nervous system, causing meningitis or other neurological problems. This
disease can also be passed vertically from an infected mother to her child via the
placenta or through breastfeeding.

Manifestation and finding in a patient having meningitis may include fever,

chills, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, fast breathing, loss of appetite, neck
stiffness and pain, sensitivity to bright light, as well as difficulty focusing or
concentrating and double vision, which may persist after recovery. In order to
determine its existence, the following diagnosis may be performed in the clinical
setting: advising patients suspected of having meningitis to undergo a lumber
puncture, but first the patient will be assessed with a physical examination and a
review of the patient's health history for any of the signs. CSF is collected via
lumbar puncture and tested to determine red blood cell and leukocyte counts, as
well as glucose and protein levels. Patients with meningitis who are not yet
complicated can be treated at home with antipyretics, antiemetics, and
analgesics, whereas patients who are having seizures due to an adverse
complication require immediate administration of a specific antiretroviral therapy
and to be under medical supervision.

REFLECTION:

I decided to read this certain article entitled “Viral Meningitis” which was
published by Kohil A., Jemmieh S., Smatti M., Yassine H. Upon reading this
article over time and learning about it more, it keeps me getting more and more
interested as in the first place I know nothing about it. In learning from it, I’m
certainly excited also as all of the things that I’ve learned in my reading will come
off as a knowledge that I’ll be able to use it in sharing to other people and saving
someone’s life in the future.

So, the objective of the authors in this article is to discuss on what was
meningitis is all about on how only a small amount of bacteria or virus that you
acquire outside can affect your CNS in your body and not just this it is also
included all of the possible diagnostic and interventions as well.
 As a student nurse, by reading, knowing, and learning what are the signs
of the patient having meningitis it will help us on knowing what are specific
diagnostic and intervention needed in a certain situation just like this. So, all of
the garnered knowledge that I have taken in reading this article, I will use it as an
instrument to my soon to be fellow nursing student, who also aspire to be a
registered nurse someday and I will not just use it in sharing my knowledge but
also to be able to apply it practically and use it to help to someone who is in need
may it be a stranger, a patient, or a bad person because as a healthcare worker
it is our duty to help anyone wholeheartedly who is in need no matter who they
are.