Meningitis - gram-negative

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Central nervous system

Gram-negative meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges) from bacteria that turn pink when exposed to a special stain (Gram-negative bacteria).

See also:

• Aseptic meningitis
• Meningitis - cryptococcal
• Meningitis - H. influenzae
• Meningitis - meningococcal
• Meningitis - pneumococcal
• Meningitis - staphylococcal
• Meningitis - tuberculous

Gram-negative meningitis

Acute bacterial meningitis can be caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Bacteria causing Gram-negative meningitis include:

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• Acinetobacter baumannii
• Enterobacter aerogenes
• Escherichia coli
• Klebsiella pneumoniae
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Gram-negative meningitis is much more common in infants than adults.

Risk factors in adults and children include:

• Local infection
• Recent brain surgery
• Recent injury to the head
• Spinal abnormalities
• Spinal fluid shunt placement after brain surgery
• Urinary tract abnormalities
• Urinary tract infection
• Weakened immune system

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).