Meningitis And All You Need To Know...

Meningitis is currently viral in some areas in Nigeria...
I thought you might want to know the types,causes and Symptoms.

What Is Meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges. The meninges are the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis can occur when fluid surrounding the meninges becomes infected.

The most common causes of meningitis are viral and bacterial infections. Other causes may include:

Cancer
Chemical irritation
Fungi
Drug allergies

Viral and bacterial meningitis are contagious. They can be transmitted by coughing, sneezing, or close contact.

Types of Meningitis
Viral and bacterial infections are the most common causes of meningitis. There are several other forms of meningitis. Examples include cryptococcal, which is caused by a fungal infection, and carcinomatous, which is cancer-related. These types are rare.

Viral Meningitis
Viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis. Viruses in the Enterovirus category cause 85 percent of cases. These are more common during the summer and fall, and they include:

Coxsackievirus A
Coxsackievirus B
Echoviruses

Viruses in the Enterovirus category cause about 10 to 15 million infections per year, but only a small percentage of people who get infected will develop meningitis.

Other viruses can cause meningitis. These include:

West Nile virus
Influenza
Mumps
HIV
Measles
Herpes viruses
Coltivirus, which causes Colorado tick fever

Viral meningitis typically goes away without treatment.

Bacterial Meningitis
Bacterial meningitis is contagious and caused by infection from certain bacteria. It’s fatal if left untreated. Between 5 to 40 percent of children and 20 to 50 percent of adults with this condition die. This is true even with proper treatment.

The most common types of bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis are:

Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is typically found in the respiratory tract, sinuses, and nasal cavity and can cause what’s called “pneumococcal meningitis”.

Neisseria meningitidis, which is spread through saliva and other respiratory fluids and causes what’s called “meningococcal meningitis”

Haemophilus influenza, which can cause not only meningitis but infection of the blood, inflammation of the windpipe, cellulitis, and infectious arthritis.

Listeria monocytogenes, which is a foodborne bacteria.

What Are the Symptoms of Meningitis?

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
Irritability
Sleepiness
Lethargy
Fever

In adults, viral meningitis may cause:

Headaches
Fever
Stiff neck
Seizures
Sensitivity to bright light
Sleepiness
Lethargy
Nausea
Decreased appetite


Bacterial meningitis symptoms develop suddenly. They may include:

Altered mental status
Nausea
Vomiting
Sensitivity to light
Irritability
Headache
Fever
Stiff neck

What Are the Complications from Meningitis?

These complications are typically associated with meningitis:
Seizures
Hearing loss
Brain damage
Hydrocephalus
Subdural effusion, or a buildup of fluid between the brain and the skull.

How Is Meningitis Prevented?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially if you’re at increased risk, is important. This includes things like:

Getting adequate amounts of rest.
Not smoking
Avoiding contact with sick people

If you’ve been in close contact with one or more people who have a bacterial meningococcal infection, your doctor can give you preventive antibiotics. This will decrease your changes of developing the disease.

Vaccinations can also protect against certain types of meningitis.

How Is Meningitis Treated?
Your treatment is determined by the cause of your meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis requires immediate hospitalization. Early diagnosis and treatment will prevent brain damage and death. Bacterial meningitis is treated with intravenous antibiotics. There’s no specific antibiotic for bacterial meningitis. It depends on the bacteria involved.

Fungal meningitis is treated with antifungal agents.

Viral meningitis isn’t treated. It usually resolves on its own. Symptoms should go away within two weeks. There are no serious long-term problems associated with viral meningitis.

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience the above mentioned symptoms. Bacterial 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.

Edited from healthline.com