Symptoms
Typical symptoms of bacterial meningitis include high fever, severe headache, and neck stiffness. However, these symptoms do not necessarily all have to be present. The disease may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, skin rash, petechiae, sensitivity to light, and clouding of consciousness, among other symptoms. The infection can lead to blood poisoning and other severe symptoms (e.g., convulsions, coma, stroke), neurologic complications (e.g., hearing loss, epilepsy, paralysis), and death. This is a medical emergency and immediate medical attention is needed.
Causes
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the fine tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord. It is a bacterial infectious disease caused mainly by the following pathogens:
- (Pneumococcus)
- (Listeria)
- (Meningococcus)
The bacteria are transmitted during close contact with secretions of the throat and respiratory tract and via droplets. However, the disease is less contagious than, for example, the flu or a cold. Asymptomatic carriers who carry the bacteria in the nasopharynx without developing symptoms also occur.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made by medical treatment based on the patient’s history, clinical presentation, lumbar puncture (cerebrospinal fluid), laboratory examination, and imaging techniques.
Drug treatment
Intravenous antibiotics are primarily used for drug treatment. The literature also mentions the additional use of the anti-inflammatory and decongestant glucocorticoids (e.g., dexamethasone).
Prevention
Several vaccines are available for prevention. The hemophilus vaccine is included in the DTPa-IPV+Hib vaccine, which includes infants in their first year.
