A Patient's Laboratory Test Results Following Lumbar Puncture for Cerebrospinal

question 159

Multiple Choice

A patient's laboratory test results following lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid analysis indicate an elevated white blood cell (WBC) count with a predominance of neutrophils.Which of the following conditions should the nurse most suspect in this patient?

• A)Bacterial meningitis
• B)Viral meningitis
• C)Parasitic meningitis
• D)Fungal meningitis

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Definitions:

Nucleus

A membrane-bound organelle found in eukaryotic cells that contains the cell's chromosomes, thereby functioning as the cell's command center for gene expression and DNA replication.

Pyramidal Cell

Distinctively shaped interneuron found in the cerebral cortex.

Dendrites

Branchlike extensions of neurons that receive signals from other neurons.

Axon

A narrow, lengthy protrusion from a neuron, or nerve cell, that often directs electrical impulses from the neuron's cell body outward.