Bacterial meningitis | Viral meningitis |
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Hundreds (or even thousands) of inflammatory cells × 106 /l | Inflammatory cell count up to 200 × 106 /l |
Nearly all inflammatory cells polymorphonuclear | Inflammatory cells mononuclear (at the beginning of the disease most of them may be polymorphonuclear) |
Glucose concentration low (< 2.2 mmol/l or < half of blood glucose) | Glucose concentration normal (> 2.2 mmol/l) |
Protein concentration high (> 400 mg/l, typically > 1 000 mg/l) | Protein concentration only slightly elevated |
Gram-staining shows bacteria | Gram-staining does not show bacteria |
Lactate concentration high (> 2.7 mmol/l) | Lactate concentration normal |