Definition
Meningitis is an infectious disease that affects the meninges of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). A transfer to the brain substance (meningoencephalitis) is possible. Infants and toddlers often show a severe course of meningitis.
Particularly in the case of a bacterial infection, the rapid spread of the inflammation can pose an acute danger to life. The diagnosis of meningitis is often very difficult. In contrast to meningitis in adults, the classic symptoms do not always appear immediately in infants and toddlers. Often, the detection of all symptoms is already a sign of an advanced disease.
Causes
The cause of meningitis is an infection with bacteria or viruses. Often these pathogens first lead to another disease (e.g. inflammation of the middle ear) before spreading to the central nervous system and infecting the meninges. The spectrum of pathogens that can cause meningitis differs between children and adults.
Common triggering bacteria in newborns are streptococci (group B), listeria and E. coli. With increasing age, meningococcus, pneumococcus, meningococcus and Haemophilus influenzae are the most common causes of meningitis. The viral pathogen spectrum is very broad.
The cause of meningitis can be an infection with herpes viruses, TBE viruses, mumps viruses, influenza and enteroviruses. The bacteria and viruses are mainly transmitted by close contact of infected people with babies. Kissing, sneezing, coughing or sharing dishes or, for example, a toothbrush can lead to the transmission of the pathogens to the infant and should be avoided in any case.
A frequent cause of meningitis is infection with herpes viruses (especially Herpes Simplex 1, Herpes Zoster). This is a virus that is transmitted by small droplets of secretion via respiration and saliva. It can spread along nerve fibers in the body. In addition to the typical blistering in the area supplied by the nerves, the virus can also spread along the nerves into the central nervous system, where it can cause meningitis. A viral meningitis is usually milder than a bacterial one and often heals spontaneously after a few days to weeks.
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