Meningitis is an infection of the fluid that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. There are basically two types of meningitis and it is important to know which type a person has because that affects how the infection is treated.
Bacterial meningitis can be quite severe and can cause brain damage, hearing loss, learning disabilities and even death if not quickly recognized and treated. The signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis and bacterial meningitis are very much the same and include
- Fever
- Headache
- Rash
- Stiff Neck
- Seizures
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Lethargy and listlessness in infants
- Lack of appetite
It is important for anyone of any age who has signs or symptoms that may resemble meningitis to seek emergency medical care as soon as possible. It is only possible to make a diagnosis of meningitis through medical tests and the only way to determine appropriate treatment.
The two leading causes of meningitis are streptococcal bacteria and meningococcal bacteria. These bacteria are spread by coughing or kissing, but are not as common as the cold or flu. This explains why outbreaks of bacterial meningitis occur at times on college campuses, the close contact of college students to one another makes for easy spread of the bacteria. The bacteria are not spread through casual contact with an infected person or by breathing the same air. There are several vaccines available that can help to prevent bacterial meningitis.
Bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotics. Close household contacts or boyfriends or girlfriends of meningitis patients may need to be treated with antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease.
Viral meningitis can be caused by many different types of viral pathogens, but is most commonly associated with coxsackieviruses and echoviruses. These viruses usually occur more frequently during the summer and fall months. Mumps and viruses from the Herpes family can also be causes of viral meningitis.
Viral meningitis is less severe than the bacterial form of the disease and it treated with rest, fluids, and pain medications. Antibiotics are not effective against viral meningitis. Viral meningitis is not contagious by itself. You may catch the virus that is causing the meningitis from an infected person and go on to develop a cold or other illness, but your chances of progressing on to develop meningitis are minimal. The symptoms usually last 7-10 days.
Enteroviruses are most often spread through contact with respiratory secretions of infectious persons (saliva, sputum, or nasal mucous). This can happen when you shake hands with an infected person or touch something that they touched and then rub your nose or mouth. The virus can also be found in the stool of infected persons. The virus is spread by this route mainly among young children who are not yet toilet trained or by changing diapers of infected children. It usually takes 3 to 7 days from the time of infection to the development of symptoms. The contagious period of the illness starts about 3 days after you are infected and lasts for about 10 days after you develop symptoms. The best way to prevent the illness is by routine hand washing.
Please note: The information in this article is not to be followed as
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physician
or primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personal
health and necessary treatments.
