PURULENT MENINGITIS (ACUTE BACTERIAL MENINGITIS)

VIRAL MENINGO-ENCEPHALITIS

GRANULOMATOUS MENINGITIS (tuberculosis, fungal meningitis, sarcoid, syphilis, Listeria, Brucella, ETC.)

WBC's

More than 1,000/cu mm; mostly polys

Less than 500/cu mm; first polys; then lymphs

Less than 200/cu mm; mostly lymphs

Protein

High

Normal or slightly elevated

High

Sugar

Low (often less than 20 mg%)

Normal

Low (rarely as low as in bacterial meningitis)