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CASE HISTORY Hiroshi,a 19-Year-Old College Student,arrived at the Emergency Department Complaining of Complaining

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CASE HISTORY
Hiroshi,a 19-year-old college student,arrived at the emergency department complaining of a fever and lethargy that started the previous evening.He originally suspected that the symptoms were due to a hangover from a fraternity party held two days earlier.However,Hiroshi became alarmed when turning his head became painful and when tiny red blotches suddenly appeared on his skin.The physician recognized this as a petechial rash (red spots on the skin that do not blanch,or turn white,when pressed).Blood cultures were obtained,and Hiroshi underwent a lumbar puncture to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)for culture.He was immediately admitted to the hospital and treated with intravenous antibiotics.The next day,blood and CSF cultures grew a deadly Gram-negative diplococcus-Neisseria meningitidis.Hiroshi had bacterial meningitis.
Explain the natural barrier Neisseria meningitidis must have crossed in order to result in Hiroshi's meningitis.Briefly,how does this barrier serve as an immune defense so effective some people can be asymptomatic carriers of this bacterium?

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The blood-brain barrier (BBB)-in brain c...

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