Meningitis is a condition that causes inflammation and swelling in the lining of the brain and spinal cord. This swelling from meningitis can harm or destroy nerve cells and cause bleeding in the brain.
The
causes of spinal meningitis are most often a bacterial or viral infection. Most often, the body's immune system is able to contain and defeat an infection. But if the infection passes into the bloodstream and then into the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, it can affect the nerves and travel to the brain and/or surrounding membranes, causing inflammation. These infections are known as
bacterial meningitis and
viral meningitis, respectively.
Meningitis also may be caused by:
- A fungal infection
- A reaction to certain medications or medical treatments
- An inflammatory disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus)
- Some types of cancer
- A traumatic injury to the head or spine.
Common symptoms include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Nausea or vomiting
- Discomfort looking into bright lights
- Sleepiness or confusion.
In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms (such as fever,
headache, and neck stiffness) may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive. The infant may also be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly. As the meningitis progresses, patients of any age may have
seizures.
Any person who is showing signs or
symptoms of meningitis should seek immediate medical care by contacting their doctor or going to a clinic or emergency room.
Early diagnosis and treatment of meningitis are very important.
Meningitis is usually diagnosed by laboratory tests of spinal fluid obtained with a spinal tap. A spinal tap is when a needle is inserted into an area in the lower back where fluid in the spinal canal is readily accessible.
For
bacterial meningitis, identification of the type of bacteria responsible is important for selection of correct antibiotics. The specific cause of
viral meningitis can be determined by tests that identify the virus in specimens collected from the patient, but these tests are rarely done.
How Is Meningitis Treated?
Bacterial meningitis has a high death rate if left untreated. Therefore, meningitis requires immediate medical attention.
Bacterial meningitis can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important, however, that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15 percent, although the risk is higher among the elderly.
No specific treatment for
viral meningitis exists at this time. Most patients completely recover on their own. Doctors often will recommend bed rest, plenty of fluids, and medicine to relieve fever and
headache.
Transmission of Meningitis
Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious and can be spread through contact with:
- Saliva
- Nasal discharge
- Feces
- Respiratory and throat secretions (often spread through kissing, coughing, or sharing drinking glasses, eating utensils, or such personal items as toothbrushes, lipstick, or cigarettes).
For example, people at a day care center, in a classroom, or sharing a household with an infected person can become infected. College students living in dormitories -- in particular, college freshmen -- have a higher risk of contracting meningococcal meningitis than college students overall.
Children who do not have access to childhood vaccines are at increased risk of developing certain types of bacterial meningitis.
