Meningitis

What Is Meningitis? Types of Meningitis Bacterial meningitis It's an extremely serious illness. You or your child will need to get medical help right away. It can be life-threatening or lead to Several kinds of bacteria can cause bacterial meningitis. The most common ones in the U.S. are: • Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) • Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) • Listeria monocytogenes (in older people, A bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was a common cause of meningitis in babies and young children until the Hib Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Experts recommend that all children get them, as well as all adults who are at a higher risk for the disease. In many cases, bacterial meningitis starts when bacteria get into your bloodstream from your The bacteria that cause meningitis can spread when people who are infected Viral meningitis Viral meningitis is more common than the bacterial form and generally -- but not always -- is less serious. A number of viruses can trigger the disease, including several that can cause Fungal meningitis Fungal meningitis is much less common than the bacterial or viral forms. Healthy people rarely get it. You’re more likely to get this form of meningitis if you have a problem with your immune system, like Parasitic meningitis Parasitic meningitis is also rare. It’s caused by Amoebic meningitis Amoebic meningitis is a rare, usually fatal infection by a single-celled bug called Naegleria fowleri. T...

The symptoms of viral and bacterial meningitis can be similar in the beginning. However, bacterial meningitis symptoms are usually more severe. The symptoms also vary depending on your age. Viral meningitis symptoms Viral meningitis in infants may cause: • decreased appetite • • vomiting • diarrhea • rash • respiratory symptoms In adults, viral meningitis may cause: • • fever • • • sensitivity to bright light • sleepiness • • • decreased appetite • altered mental state Bacterial meningitis symptoms Bacterial meningitis symptoms develop suddenly. They may include: • altered mental status • nausea • vomiting • sensitivity to light • irritability • headache • fever • chills • stiff neck • purple areas of skin that resemble bruises • sleepiness • lethargy Seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms. Bacterial and viral meningitis can be deadly. There’s no way to know if you have bacterial or viral meningitis just by judging how you feel. Your doctor will need to perform tests to determine which type you have. Fungal meningitis symptoms Symptoms of fungal meningitis resemble the other types of this infection. These may include: • nausea • vomiting • sensitivity to light • neck stiffness • fever • headache • a general sense of being unwell • confusion or disorientation Chronic meningitis symptoms You’re diagnosed with chronic meningitis when your symptoms last for The symptoms of chronic meningitis are similar to other forms of acute meningitis, but can som...

• Low-grade fever:A person with meningitis usually has a • Headaches:Headaches from meningitis can be very painful. Sometimes, they only cause mild to moderate pain all over the head. A person might also have sensitivity to sound and light with the headache. • Stiff neck:Upper • Muscle aches:Soreness and tenderness all over your body are other common symptoms of meningitis, but they can also happen with infections like the flu. • • Sleepiness:You are likely to feel sleepy if you have meningitis. You might sleep for hours longer than you normally would. • Lack of appetite:As with other illnesses, people with meningitis often do not feel hungry or want to eat. • Nausea and vomiting:You may experience nausea or vomiting even if you have a mild case of meningitis. • Irritability:The other symptoms of meningitis can be very discomforting and can contribute to a person feeling generally irritable. • Back pain:Back pain caused by meningitis usually gets worse when you bend your legs close to your chest in a fetal position. However, it can also be made worse by any change in position. You might have this pain all the time. • Rash:Bacterial infections that lead to meningitis can cause a rash. This is very common with capillaries), which happens as the infection spreads outside the nervous system. • Confusion:Meningitis causes the space around the brain to become inflamed. A person with the infection may have brain-related (neurological) symptoms such as confusion that comes and goe...

Meningitis can be a very serious disease. If you or someone you love is at increased risk for meningitis, you may have lots of questions. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about meningitis. 1. What is meningitis? Meningitis is an inflammation and swelling of the membranes that cover the 2. What are the causes of meningitis? The two main causes of meningitis are viruses and bacteria. Common bacteria or viruses may cause infection in a part of the body -- the Fungi, protozoa, and other parasites are less common causes of meningitis. In very rare cases, 3. What is Neisseria meningitidis, which causes meningococcal disease. It can be fatal if you don't receive treatment right away. The bacteria that cause it live in the noses and throats of up to a quarter of the population. It is not known why these bacteria sometimes travel to the nervous system and cause meningitis. Another leading cause of bacterial meningitis is Streptococcus pneumoniae. 4. What is viral meningitis? Viral meningitis is more common and usually less serious. It tends to occur more often in the summer and fall. Because of its flu-like symptoms, many people mistake it for the al meningitis, but most people who have these infections don't develop meningitis. Other viruses that lead to meningitis are those that cause chickenpox, mononucleosis (mono), and herpes. Symptoms can be similar to those of bacterial meningitis. 5. Who is at risk for meningitis? A person of any age may develop bacteri...

Sarah Lemire is an award-winning lifestyle writer, editor, and humor columnist whose work appears in Health, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Real Simple, New York Daily News, The Daily Meal, The Active Times, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant and Connecticut VOICE magazine. Hundreds of her stories appear in print and online, covering a broad range of topics including health, finance, travel, food, fashion, weddings, home, wellness, and aging. She’s the author of the new humor book, I’ll Never Be a Hand Model (and other stories I tell my therapist), published by Woodhall Press and the host/co-producer of Hack the Chat, a lifestyle podcast available on iTunes and Spotify. An avid traveler, foodie, helicopter parent, and couch film critic, Sarah is originally from Minneapolis and has spent the last two decades unsuccessfully trying to lose her Midwestern accent and figure out the difference between a hoagie and a sub. • Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumococcal meningitis • Group B Streptococcus, a common cause of meningitis in newborns • Neisseria meningitidis, responsible for meningococcal meningitis • Haemophilus influenzae, which causes H. influenzae meningitis • Listeria monocytogenes, which causes listeria that can lead to meningitis, per the • Escherichia coli, which is responsible for most cases of E.coli meningitis in babies less than 3 months old, according to the Once in the bloodstream, toxins released from the bacteria can weaken the body's capilla...