Which combination suggests meningitis?

Which combination suggests meningitis?

• A. Saddle anesthesia + urinary retention + bilateral leg weakness
• B. Fever + stiff neck + altered mental status
• C. A tearing chest pain
• D. Sudden severe headache + Horner's

Answer: (B)

Meningitis shows meningeal irritation along with signs of systemic infection. The most telling combination is fever indicating infection, stiff neck showing nuchal rigidity from meningeal irritation, and altered mental status reflecting CNS involvement. Together these point to meningitis and require urgent evaluation and treatment. The other options fit different emergencies: saddle anesthesia with urinary retention and bilateral leg weakness suggests cauda equina or spinal cord issues; tearing chest pain points to aortic dissection or other cardiovascular crises; sudden severe headache with Horner’s syndrome suggests carotid dissection or similar vascular problems, not meningitis.

Meningitis shows meningeal irritation along with signs of systemic infection. The most telling combination is fever indicating infection, stiff neck showing nuchal rigidity from meningeal irritation, and altered mental status reflecting CNS involvement. Together these point to meningitis and require urgent evaluation and treatment.

The other options fit different emergencies: saddle anesthesia with urinary retention and bilateral leg weakness suggests cauda equina or spinal cord issues; tearing chest pain points to aortic dissection or other cardiovascular crises; sudden severe headache with Horner’s syndrome suggests carotid dissection or similar vascular problems, not meningitis.