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Meningitis - staphylococcal

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Definition:

Staphylococcal meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges), caused by Staphylococcus bacteria.

Alternative Names:

Staphylococcal meningitis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Meningitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus or S. epidermidis usually develops as a complication of a surgical procedure, or as an infection spread by the blood from another site.

Risk factors include recent brain surgery, previous meningitis associated with spinal fluid shunts, infections of heart valves, or previous infection of the brain itself.

• Review Date: 9/6/2006
• Reviewed By: Hilary M. Babcock, M.D., Medical Director of Occupational Infection Control, Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's Hospitals; Instructor of Medicine, Infectious Disease Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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