Approach to Central Nervous System Infections in the Emergency Department

Central nervous system infections in children can be life threatening. It is imperative to suspect and identify these early in their course to manage them appropriately and improve outcomes. This article will focus on the clinical definitions, etiologies, and pathogenic mechanisms of some of the most common central nervous system infections in childhood. In addition, key parts of the initial evaluation including physical examination, laboratory investigations, and neuroimaging as well as treatment and outcomes are discussed.