Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is the most common pathogen cause of bacterial meningitis in children and older adults. Following nasopharyngeal colonization and subsequent systemic invasion, the traversal of S. pneumoniae across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents a pivotal early event in the pathogenesis of meningitis. The normally safeguarding BBB, designed to shield the central nervous system (CNS) from circulating harmful agents, undergoes disruption during S. pneumoniae invasion, influenced by pneumococcal toxins and an amplified host inflammatory milieu characterized by cytokines, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species intracranially. The presence of bacteria in the CNS generates neuroinflammation, which is responsible for the acute damage of the infection and possibly also for the neurological sequelae present in a portion of survivors. This chapter explores the role of S. pneumoniae brain infection, including meningitis and encephalitis neuroinflammation.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Neurobiology of Infectious Diseases |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Pages | 115-137 |
Number of pages | 23 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780443191305 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780443191312 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2024 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- BBB
- Brain infections
- Encephalitis
- Glial cells
- Infectious disease
- Long-term cognitive impairment
- Meningitis
- Neuroinflammation
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine