Abstract

Aims: We aimed at quantifying acute axonal injury in victims of bacterial meningitis. Methods: The brains of 26 autopsies with bacterial meningitis and of 10 control cases were studied by histology and quantitative immunohistochemistry for amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP). Results: Mild to severe axonal injury in the white matter was present in 25 of 26 victims of meningitis. The area of axonal damage ranged from 0.0% to 1.38% (median = 0.08%, mean = 0.36%) of the total area studied in each individual case. In 4 of 10 age- and sex-matched control brains small areas also stained for APP (p = 0.0007). Axonal injury in meningitis was most prominent in the basal ganglia and pons, followed by the hippocampal formation, neocortex and the cervical spinal cord. The cerebellum was least affected. Conclusion: Axonal injury is a frequent complication of bacterial meningitis probably contributing to long-term sequelae in survivors.

Author Details

Authors

• J. Gerber¹
• R.-C. Seitz¹
• S. Bunkowski¹
• W. Brück²
• R. Nau¹
• ³

Departments

• Departments of
• ¹ Neurology and
• ² Neuropathology, University of Göttingen, and
• ³ Department of Geriatrics, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Göttingen-Weende, Göttingen, Germany

Address

R. Nau, MD; Department of Geriatrics, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Göttingen-Weende, An der Lutter 24, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
Email: [email protected]

Citation