Aseptic meningitis due to atheromatous material in the subarachnoid space

500 mg of sterile pooled human atheromatous material was injected into the cisterna magna of 6 mongrel dogs. Repeated cisternal punctures were done at various intervals until sacrifice from 1 day to 28 days following injection. CSF was obtained for cell count, sugar, protein and analysis in the Technicon 6/60 which measured 14 additional chemical and enzymatic variables. All 6 animals showed a prompt cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis which largely subsided during the first 2 weeks after injection. Increased CSF protein content developed more slowly, but was more prolonged than the pleocytosis. There was a variable decrease in CSF sugar and increase in CSF lactate dehydrogenase, calcium and inorganic phosphorous. Light and electron microscopic studies showed an intense acute inflammatory reaction with marked phagocytosis of the foregin material, probably by arachnoidal cells and moderate edematous changes in the astrocytic processes at the site of injection. During the first 2 weeks after the injection the inflammatory reaction became chronic and the edematous changes in the medulla subsided.