Meningitis is an inflammation of the three thin membranes covering the brain and the spinal cord which are collectively called the meninges. It is a serious and sometimes fatal infection affecting the central nervous system and is caused by different bacterial and viral etiologic agents. In this book, the authors present topical research in the study of the causes, diagnosis and treatment of meningitis. Topics include the molecular diagnosis and epidemiological typing of bacterial meningitis; novel dissemination and invasion routes of bacterial meningitis; contemporary management of nosocomial bacterial meningitis in neurosurgical practice; meningitis associated with auto-immune diseases and Mollaret's meningitis syndrome.