What You Need to Know

Meningitis is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges). If meningitis is not diagnosed immediately, it can lead to brain damage, mental difficulties, neurologic deficits, deafness, loss of digits or limbs, paralysis and death.

• Symptoms

  In adults, signs and symptoms of meningitis include:

  • Severe headache
  • Neck stiffness
  • High fever
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
  • Altered mental status

  In infants, signs and symptoms of meningitis can be less obvious, but may include:

  • High fever
  • Abnormal skin color
  • Seizure activity
  • Inconsolable crying
  • High-pitched shriek
• Causes

  Some of the causes of meningitis are:

  • Streptococcus or other types of germs
  • Certain drugs
  • Viral infections
  • Parasites
  • Brain surgery
  • Sinus surgery
• Types

  There are several types of meningitis. Some of them are:

  • Bacterial Meningitis
  • Viral Meningitis
  • Fungal Meningitis
  • Parasitic Meningitis
  • Non-infectious Meningitis
• Diagnosis and Treatment

  Prompt diagnosis of meningitis, including the type of meningitis, is critical because it is well- known that a delay in treatment is associated with a poor outcome. If meningitis is suspected, samples of blood and spinal fluid (lumbar puncture (spinal tap)) are collected and sent to the laboratory for testing. It is important to know the specific cause of meningitis because that helps doctors understand how to treat the disease, and possibly how bad it will get.

  In the case of bacterial meningitis, antibiotics can help prevent severe illness and reduce the spread of infection from person to person (depending on which bacteria are causing the infection).