An overview on tetanus, diphtheria, and diverse bacterial infections of the CNS

Central nervous system (CNS) infections of human are frequent, and its pathogenic causes are broad. CNS can be infected by a vast variety of bacteria and often causes diphtheria, tetanus, and other bacterial infections including bacterial meningitis, spinal epidural abscess, rickettsia infection, subdural empyema, brain abscess, neurosyphilis, and CNS tuberculosis. Most of these serious infections often become life-threatening, subsequently necessitating aggressive antibiotic therapy. Therefore, preventive measures are significantly important in controlling and reducing the burden and complications associated with these infections. This chapter comprehensively reviews pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of diphtheria, tetanus, and selected other bacterial infections of CNS such as bacterial meningitis, spinal epidural abscess, rickettsia infection, subdural empyema, brain abscess, neurosyphilis, and CNS tuberculosis.