What Is Meningitis ?

Meningitis is a medical condition in which the protective membranes (meninges) and cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord gets inflamed. A meningitis infection is usually caused by a bacteria, virus or fungus but can also result from the use of certain drugs or even from other infections and diseases in the body. A meningitis infection may resolve on its own but can also turn serious and life threatening due to the infection's close proximity to the brain. The causative organism would determine the seriousness of the infection and whether antibiotics are needed to be administered or whether the infection can resolve on its own.

 

 

Meningitis Symptoms:

Typical symptoms that indicate a meningitis infection include vomiting, severe headache, stiffness of the neck, high fever, vomiting, sleepiness, photophobia(sensitivity to bright light), phonophobia(sensitivity to loud noise), seizures and disinterest in consuming liquid and solid foods. Other possible symptoms include pain in the legs, cold abnormalities and a rather pale skin color. There are many illnesses that include pain as a symptom (look up fibromyalgia on everydayhealth.com for but one example), but with meningitis the pain is often focused in the legs. The type and the location of pain is significant for an accurate diagnosis. This can sometimes be difficult to tell, especially for younger patients.

In newborn babies upto 6 months of age a meningitis infection could be indicated by symptoms such as frequent crying, unusual levels of sleepiness, rigidity of the neck and bulging of the fontanelle.(The spot that is soft to touch at the top of the baby's head.)

 

 

Meningitis Causes:

The most common cause of meningitis is a viral infection but the infection may also be caused by bacteria or by fungus. Of the three causative organisms bacterial meningitis is the most serious and life threatening one and treatment should be administered as soon as possible to prevent any serious complications.

 

 

Bacterial Meningitis Causes:

Bacterial meningitis occurs when meningitis causing bacteria are able to penetrate into a person's bloodstream and then move towards the spinal cord. A sinusitis infection could also facilitate meningitis as the bacteria can directly attackthe membranes(meninges).  Bacteria can also invade the blood stream though a fractured skull in which case the indiviual might even develop recurrent cases of meningitis.

The various organisms that cause bacterial meningitis are :

 

 

Neisseria Meningitidis:

Neisseria Meningitidis is one of the most common cause organism that causes bacterial meningitis infection. The infection caused by this bacteria is also known as Meningococcal Meningitis and usually occurswhen there is an infection of a person's upper respiratory system and the bacteria present there move into the bloodstream. Meningococcal meningitis is very contagious and may spread and cause a local epidemic.

 

 

Streptococcus Pneumoniae:

The infection caused by this bacteria is known as pneumococcal meningitis. This bacteria is known to attack infants and children and can not only cause pneumococcal meningitis butcan also cause ear infections as well as other staph infections like pneumonia.

 

 

Other Bacteria:

Other bacteria which can cause meningitis include Haemophilus influenza and Listeria monocytogenes. Haemophilus influenza used to be one of the major causes of bacterial meningitis but with formulations of newer and better vaccines to combat this bacteria the number of cases of Haemophilus caused infections has drastically reduced.

 

Listeria monocytogenes is a food borne pathogen that is present in contaminated food products which include camembert cheese, brie cheese, feta cheese and luncheon meat. The bacteria primarily affects newborn babies and as a safety meadure pregnant women are advised against consuming food products such as soft cheeses that are prone to easy contamination. A baby affected with meningitis may die soon after birth..

 

 

Viral Meningitis Causes:

More cases of meningitis result from viruses than bacteria or fungi. Viral meningitis is usually caused by a group of viruses known as enteroviruses but can also result from herpes simplex virus 2, mumps virus and even HIV virus. Unlike bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis infections are  usually mild and will clear up in a matter of 2 to three weeks. Typical symptoms of a viral meningitis infection are skin rash, joint pain, and severe headache.

 

 

Fungal Meningitis Causes:

The meningitis infection caused by fungi is known as Cryptococcal meningitis. This particular form of the infection is not as common as viral meningitis and usually affects people who have poor immune systems caused by diseases such as HIV.

 

 

Other Causes:

Meningitis can also be caused by amoebae (Amoebic meningitis) such as Naegleria fowleri which is primatil found in freshwater sources. Mycobacterium tuberculosis can cause tuberculosis meningitis and Aseptic meningitis is a specific form of the disease which can be caused due to a bacterial infection that was partially treated. Aseptic meningitis can also result if the heart valves get infected and the bacteria present enter the bloodstream. Meningitis may also occur from the use of certain drugs, spreading of cancer to the membrances and inflammatory conditions such as Sarcoidosis and Vasculitis.

 

 

People At Risk:

 

Community Habitation:

Large groups of individuals sharing a common space are at a higher risk of catching a meningitis infection due to the close proximity between one another. Examples of such settings are student dormitories, boarding schools, day car facilities etc.

 

 

Pregnant Women:

Pregnant women are at aa risk of developing an infection known as listeriosis caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. In the US nearly 30% of all cases of listeriosis are accounted by pregnant women. The bacteria causing listeriosis can also cause meningitis in which case the infection could be passed on to to a pregnant woman's baby as well. Listeria monocytogenes is usually found in contaminated food products.

 

 

Poor Immunity:

People who have low immunity due to the use of certain drugs or due to other infections and diseases are also at a risk of developing meningitis.

 

 

Complications:

If meningitis is not attented to tin time it can result in severe long term complications. Some of the complications of meningitis are loss of hearing, loss of speech, neurological damage, blindness,  kidney failure, paralysis, deafness, epilepsy, hydrocephalus and cognitive deficit. Neurological complications resulting from meningitis are more severe and can even lead to death.

 

 

Diagnosis:

The following tests may be done to diagnose and confirm a meningitis infection:

 

Blood Cultures:

A blood culture is done to find out the cause of the inflammation and to determine the bacteria causing the pain and headache. However blood cultures won't produce information on the organism present in the cerebrospinal fluid.

 

 

X- Ray And CT Scan:

An X-ray (or) CT scan of likely inflammation areas such as the chest, sinuses, or skull would show exactly where the inflammation is and how severe the condition is. The scans would also reveal possible infections in other areas that could have caused meningitis.

 

 

Lumbar Puncture:

The key test in determining whether an individual has a meningitis infection or not is achieved by performing a lumbar puncture(Spinal tap). In this process a small portion of the individual cerebrospinal fluid is taken and examined. A meningitis infection would be indicated by the presence of low sugar levels and high white blood cell count. This test might also indicate the exact organism that is causing the meningiti infection. In this way people who are affected with viral meningitis need not take any antibiotics unnecessarily as antibiotics are meant for people affected with bacterial meningitis.

 

 

Other Tests:

Other tests that may be carried out to determine a meningitis infection are latex agglutination test, and polymerase chain reaction test(PCR) . PCR is a very specific DNA test that is done to determine the causes of the infection.

 

 

Treatment:

 

Meningitis can eb a life threatening infection and if not attended to or treated in time it could result in a poorer outcome or death. It is therefore absolutely vital that the infection is treated as soon as possible. The treatment will cary depending the the causes of the infection.

 

 

Bacterial Meningitis Treatment:

If the meningitis infection is caused by bacteria, then intravenous antibiotics are administered intravenously to facilitate timely recovery and to help prevent serious complications. The antibiotics that are prescribed for treating the infection would depend on the causative bacteria. Once the condition has been diagnosed specific treatments may be started to address brain swelling. seizures ad dehydration of the individual. Also fluid that has collected between the meninges and the brain may need to be drained out surgically.

 

 

Viral Meningitis Treatment:

Viral meningitis is not as serious as bacterial meningitis and in most cases the condition improves without administering any therapy at all. In most cases of viral meningitis, treatment is done at home by taking sufficient amounts of liquids, plenty of bed rest and medications to reduce body pain in various areas.

 

 

Prevention:

There are some vaccines which can be used as a meningitis vaccination to prevent certain types of bacterial meningitis. Haemophilus influenza type b vaccine is administered to young children routinely and may also be administered to adults especially those affected with diseases such as AIDS. Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV7) is usually administered to young children between 2 and 5 years of age and also to children who suffer from heart or lung disease. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is similar to the PCV7 vaccine but it is administered to older children and adults. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine can be administered to children between 11 and 18 years of age and is usually just a single dose.

Other simple measures such as keeping your hands clean by washing them regularly with an antibacterial soap and eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis will help keep your immune system strong and also help prevent meningitis infections