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Medical Definition of Epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis
1. An acute infectious disease affecting children and young adults, caused by Neisseria meningitidis; characterised by nasopharyngeal catarrh, headache, vomiting, convulsions, stiffness in the neck (nuchal rigidity), photophobia, constipation, cutaneous hyperesthesia, a purpuric or herpetic eruption, and the presence of Kernig's sign. Fulminant form may cause Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome. Synonym: cerebrospinal fever, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis. (05 Mar 2000)