Signs and Symptoms
Early warning symptoms (fever,leg pain,cold hands and feet and abnormal
skin color) usually reveal themselves within 12 hours of onset of illness.
It looks like the flu so many times the symptoms are over looked. Someone who is sick with meningitis will not get better as time progresses they will get worse and that is why it is so important to know the warning signs.
Speedy treatment is essential as the symptoms progress quickly. Meningitis can kill in as little as 24 hours!
| Light sensitivity |
Difficultly looking at light. Described as painful. |
Headache
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Someone with meningitis may have what is described as a horrible headache. |
| Fever |
They may have an unrelenting fever which does not go away with medication. |
| Stiff neck |
The swelling in the meninges makes it difficult to move the neck or head. |
| Nausea and vomiting |
If vomiting occurs in combination with any of the other symptoms listed it may be meningitis. |
| Rash (sepsis) |
Purple rash that does not turn white when pressed with your hands or a glass. (Seek help immediately!) |
| Seizures |
Seizures similar to epileptic seizures. |
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If you think you or someone you love may have meningitis
call 911 or go to the nearest hospital immediately!
Bacterial meningitis is an infection in the membranes (meningitis) around the spinal cord and brain. Meningitis is caused by bacteria and by viruses. There are several types of bacterial meningitis, some of which are vaccine preventable and some of which are not. Today meningococcal and Pneumococcal Meningitis are the two most common forms.
You can get meningitis at any age but teenagers and children are most at risk.
Bacterial meningitis is sometimes referred to as spinal meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is far more severe then viral meningitis so determining the type is very important as treatments differ.
Meningitis symptoms progress quickly and can kill a healthy adult or child within 24 to 48 hours. 1 in 10 people
who become ill with meningitis will die. 1 in 5 people who survive will suffer permanant damage. These are some of the after effects or meningitis.
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- vision problems/blindness
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- reoccuring headaches/migrains
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If you think you or someone you love may have meningitis call 911 or go to the nearest hospital immediately!.
Vaccine preventable types of meningitis:
- Meningococcal Meningitis
- HIB Meningitis
- Pneumococcal Meningitis
Please note that there are serotypes of these forms of meningitis that are not covered by the vaccines.
Non Vaccine Preventable Types of Meningitis:
- MRSA Meningitis
- Viral Meningitis
- Encephalitis Meningitis
- Cryptococcal Meningitis
- TB Meningitis
- Ecoli Meningitis
- Amebic Meningoencephalitis
- Group B St rep Meningitis (GBS)
How do you catch meningitis?
Many people carry the bacteria that causes meningitis in their nose and throat and never become sick. Contact with these carriers can spread meningitis.
Sometimes people get meningitis for unknown reasons and the infection spreads overwhelming the bodies defenses.
The bacteria are transmitted from person to person through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions. Some examples of how these secretions can spread:
- Kissing
- Coughing and sneezing
- Smoking or being exposed to smoke
- Living in close quarters such as dormitories
- Sharing water bottles or drinking glasses
- Sharing eating utensils
- Running down the immune system by staying up late and not getting enough rest.
The incubation period is 2 to 10 days.
Meningitis is diognosed by lumbar puncture. The bacteria can be seen often times in microscopic examinations of the spinal fluid. The diagnosis is confirmed by growing the bacteria from specimens of spinal fluid or blood.
Treatment
If you suspect someone may have meningitis seek help from a medical professional immediatly!
Doctors will treat someone who is suspected to have meningitis through intervenious antibiotics.
Prevention
Ways to prevent meningitis are limiting behaviors that spread it and vaccinating yourself and your loved ones against it. The vaccines can prevent some forms of meningits but not all. Its important to talk to your doctor and educate yourself.
Vaccinations
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4)
Resources
The information on this website about meningitis were found at the following websites.
http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/
http://www.meningitis-angels.org/
http://www.fightmeningitis.com/
