Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In cases of bacterial meningitis, the level of protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is typically elevated. This increase is due to the inflammatory response to the infection, which causes the blood-brain barrier to become more permeable, allowing more proteins to enter the CSF.

Elevated protein levels in CSF are indicative of several conditions, but in the context of bacterial meningitis, it reflects the presence of inflammatory cells and microbial agents. This is a key distinguishing factor in diagnosing bacterial meningitis compared to viral meningitis, where protein levels tend to be elevated as well, but usually to a lesser degree.

In addition, glucose levels in CSF usually decrease in bacterial meningitis because bacteria use glucose for their metabolic processes, unlike in viral infections where glucose levels may remain normal. Electrolytes and cholesterol levels are not typically altered significantly in bacterial meningitis, making the elevation of protein a more reliable indicator for diagnosis.