| What
is meningitis?
Meningitis
is an infection of the fluid/tissues of a person's spinal
cord and those that surround the brain. Meningitis is usually
caused
by a virus or bacterium. Viral meningitis is generally less
severe and resolves without specific treatment while bacterial
meningitis
can be quite severe and may result in brain damage, hearing
loss, or learning disability. For bacterial meningitis, it
is also
important to know which type of bacterial is causing the
meningitis because antibiotics can prevent some types from
spreading and
infecting other people.
What
are the signs and symptoms of meningitis?
High fever,
headache and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in
anyone over the age of 2 years. Other symptoms can include nausea,
vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, sleepiness
and behavior changes.
How
is meningitis diagnosed?
Early diagnosis
and treatment are very important. If symptoms occur, the patient
should see a doctor immediately. For bacteria, the diagnosis
is usually made by growing bacteria from a sample of spinal fluid.
For viral meningitis, laboratory tests of spinal fluid can be
done, but identification of specific viruses is not usually done.
Can
meningitis be treated?
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. No specific treatment for viral meningitis exists
at this time. Most patients recover completely on their own,
and doctors often will recommend bed rest, plenty of fluids and
medicine to relieve fever and headache.
Is
meningitis contagious?
Some forms
of bacterial meningitis are contagious. These bacteria are
spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions
[i.e.,
coughing, kissing]. For specific bacteria like meningococcal
meningitis [caused by the organism Neisseria meningitidis]
and Haemophilus influenza type b, contacts such as household
or day-care
center, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral
secretion [such as a boyfriend or girlfriend] would be considered
at increased
risk of acquiring the infection and may need to receive antibiotic
prophylactic treatment.
For viral meningitis,
the viruses that cause viral meningitis are contagious. Enteroviruses,
for example, are very common during the summer and early fall
and many people are exposed to them. Being exposed to someone
with one of these viruses and becoming infected is relatively
moderate, but there is a very small chance of developing meningitis
[1 in 1,000 infected individuals].
What
can I do to protect my family and myself?
Handwashing,
especially before and after going to the restroom or before and
after handling/preparing foods is one of the single most important
methods to prevent communicable diseases.
There are vaccines
against Haemophilus influenza type b, and against some strains
of N. meningitidis and many types of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Anyone who develops unusual signs or symptoms of illness should
seek medical attention immediately. For individuals who are otherwise
healthy, they should continue with their usual activities such
as working and attending school.
For further
information, you should contact your health care provider,
your local health department or the Centers for Disease Control
and
Prevention web site.
::
www.cdc.gov » :: 
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