A nurse is caring for an adolescent who has bacterial meningitis. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Rationale: A. A dry hacking cough is more commonly associated with respiratory infections such as bronchitis or viral upper respiratory infections. Bacterial meningitis primarily affects the meninges of the brain and spinal cord, not the respiratory system. B. A severe headache is a classic and expected finding in bacterial meningitis. It occurs due to inflammation of the meninges, increased intracranial pressure, and irritation of pain-sensitive structures in the central nervous system. Adolescents and adults often report intense headache as one of the earliest and most prominent symptoms. C. Excess salivation is not associated with bacterial meningitis. It may be seen in conditions affecting cranial nerves or oral/pharyngeal dysfunction but is not a typical manifestation of meningeal inflammation. D. Peripheral numbness is not a characteristic finding of bacterial meningitis. While severe infection can eventually lead to neurologic complications, the hallmark signs involve central nervous system irritation such as headache, fever, neck stiffness, and altered mental status rather than isolated distal sensory changes.