long-lasting infection
September 11, 2010 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ralf Berg
Hello, about 3 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with a bronchial infection. My symptoms include less coughing and runny nose or fever, but rather general discomfort, night sweats, and weakness. Unfortunately, I couldn't rest properly at first and went to a training course with antibiotics. After that, my treatment was switched to a short course of cortisone (prednisolone). A pneumonia was ruled out by X-ray, and last week a blood test was done (normal). The doctors' diagnosis (general practitioner and bronchial specialist) is clear and indicates a resolving bronchial infection. However, I am still somewhat confused because the symptoms are still present (headache, neck and limb pain, weakness, slight phlegm in the bronchi).
My questions are:
- Can a cold really persist for so long and persistently (only slightly elevated temperature)? Is this diagnosis reliable?
- Is meningitis also a possible diagnosis, or do antibiotics/corticosteroids work against it? Can meningitis be detected in the blood?
Thank you for the information.
A good day,
I would like to answer your question, which actually consists of 4 parts, briefly and to the point.
1. Yes, a common cold can drag on for a long time, especially the "secondary symptoms" can sometimes linger for 2-3 weeks.
2. The reliability of such a diagnosis (resolving infection) depends on the course of the illness and the clinical assessment of the treating physician. There are findings that need to be classified, interpreted, and evaluated. Specifically, this means that you must have a certain trust in the competence and abilities of your doctor, as there is no examination with a result of true/false in this case.
3. Meningitis seems very unlikely. This condition is serious, so you would have certainly been hospitalized after 3 weeks. There are many triggers for meningitis. Cortisone and antibiotics do not work against viruses (e.g. polio, tick-borne encephalitis), which can also trigger it. Only prior vaccination helps here.
4. Signs of meningitis can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid, which must be obtained through a lumbar puncture of the spinal cord. This is certainly not a measure that would be considered for you at this time. It cannot be diagnosed from the blood.
One thing I would like to reassure you about is that, based on the symptoms you have mentioned, the tests that have been conducted, and the course of the illness, I would not suspect meningitis in your case. If these symptoms continue to persist, further tests such as for tuberculosis would be appropriate.
With best regards, R. Berg
