A child brought by his parents with signs and symptoms of meningitis didn't receive any vaccines. CSF culture came out with gram negative pleomorphic coccobacilli. Which bacteria m... A child brought by his parents with signs and symptoms of meningitis didn't receive any vaccines. CSF culture came out with gram negative pleomorphic coccobacilli. Which bacteria matches the description?
Understand the Problem
The question presents a clinical scenario of a child with meningitis-like symptoms, no vaccination history, and a CSF culture showing gram-negative pleomorphic coccobacilli. The question asks you to identify the bacteria that best fits this description from the given options.
Answer
Haemophilus influenzae is the most likely bacteria.
The bacteria that matches the description of Gram-negative pleomorphic coccobacilli in a CSF culture from an unvaccinated child with meningitis is likely Haemophilus influenzae. This is especially true given the patient's unvaccinated status, as H. influenzae type b (Hib) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in unvaccinated children.
Answer for screen readers
The bacteria that matches the description of Gram-negative pleomorphic coccobacilli in a CSF culture from an unvaccinated child with meningitis is likely Haemophilus influenzae. This is especially true given the patient's unvaccinated status, as H. influenzae type b (Hib) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in unvaccinated children.
More Information
Haemophilus influenzae was a leading cause of bacterial meningitis, especially in children under 5. The introduction of the Hib vaccine has significantly decreased the incidence of Hib meningitis.
Tips
It is important to consider patient's age, vaccination status, and Gram stain results when identifying the causative agent of meningitis.
Sources
- Haemophilus Species - Medical Microbiology - NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Chapter 8: Haemophilus influenzae | Pink Book - CDC - cdc.gov
- Gram-negative meningitis: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia - medlineplus.gov
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