Central Nervous System Infections

Central nervous system infections caused by bacteria or fungi can cause illnesses such as:

• Brain abscesses. This is a collection of pus and infected tissue within the brain.
• Bacterial meningitis. This happens when bacterial infections enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms of bacterial or fungal central nervous system infections may include:

• Severe headache
• Back pain
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Fever
• Seizures
• Paralysis

Central nervous system infections caused by viruses can cause illnesses such as:

• Viral meningitis. This is inflammation of the layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord.
• Encephalitis. This is infection and inflammation of the brain itself.

Symptoms of viral central nervous system infections may include:

• Fever
• Irritability
• Not wanting to eat
• High-pitched cry
• Head and neck pain
• Seizures

If you think your child may have a CNS infection, see a doctor immediately.

Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Infections

The doctor will examine your child and look for signs and symptoms of a CNS infection. Testing may include:

• Blood tests. A blood test examines a sample of blood for evidence of infection.
• Computed tomograpgy (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These special imaging tests produce cross-sectional images of the body.
• Spinal tap. In this test, a small amount of cerebral spinal fluid is obtained to test for infections.