Which statement correctly describes the two main categories of meningitis?

Which statement correctly describes the two main categories of meningitis?

• A. Fungal meningitis and parasitic meningitis are the two main categories.
• B. Autoimmune meningitis is the sole category.
• C. Acute meningitis and chronic meningitis are the two main categories.
• D. Bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis are the two main categories.

Answer: (D)

Meningitis is best understood by the infectious cause, and the two main groups you should recognize are bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis. This split matters because it drives how you treat patients and what to expect in outcomes. Bacterial meningitis tends to come on suddenly with fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, and sometimes confusion or seizures, and it requires urgent empiric antibiotics (often started before all test results are back). The CSF typically shows a neutrophilic predominance, low glucose, and high protein, with organisms that can often be identified on Gram stain or culture. Viral meningitis, in contrast, is usually milder and most often self-limited, with supportive care being the main approach; many cases are caused by enteroviruses. CSF usually has a lymphocytic predominance, with normal or near-normal glucose and only modestly elevated protein. Fungal and parasitic meningitis exist but are less common and fall outside the two primary infectious categories; autoimmune meningitis is not an infectious category. Classifying by onset timing (acute vs chronic) describes the course rather than the main etiologic distinction.

Meningitis is best understood by the infectious cause, and the two main groups you should recognize are bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis. This split matters because it drives how you treat patients and what to expect in outcomes. Bacterial meningitis tends to come on suddenly with fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, and sometimes confusion or seizures, and it requires urgent empiric antibiotics (often started before all test results are back). The CSF typically shows a neutrophilic predominance, low glucose, and high protein, with organisms that can often be identified on Gram stain or culture. Viral meningitis, in contrast, is usually milder and most often self-limited, with supportive care being the main approach; many cases are caused by enteroviruses. CSF usually has a lymphocytic predominance, with normal or near-normal glucose and only modestly elevated protein. Fungal and parasitic meningitis exist but are less common and fall outside the two primary infectious categories; autoimmune meningitis is not an infectious category. Classifying by onset timing (acute vs chronic) describes the course rather than the main etiologic distinction.