There are six different types of meningitis and all have the potential to kill
Name
Meningitis. The six types are:
- Bacterial
- Viral
- Fungal
- Parasitic
- Amoebic
- Non-infectious
In this post, we are focusing on a type of bacterial meningitis called meningococcal meningitis
Transmission
Meningitis is a serious infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
Can cause severe brain damage and has a 50% fatality rate without treatment
There are several types of bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis but in this post we are focusing on Neisseria meningitidis which causes meningococcal meningitis
Neisseria meningitidis is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in children, and the second most common cause in adults
It is spread from person to person via infected droplets from the throat or nose (kissing, coughing, sneezing, sharing cutlery, etc.)
Geography
Geography
- Worldwide
- In Africa, most meningococcal meningitis epidemics and outbreaks occur in the sub-Saharan “meningitis belt” which includes 26 countries from Senegal to Ethiopia (more than 450 million people)
- Before the mass immunization campaigns which began in 2010, 80–85% of all cases in the belt were meningococcal
Signs and Symptoms
Initial symptoms include:
- Stiff neck
- Fever
- Rash
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Altered mental state/confusion
Later symptoms can be severe:
Later symptoms can be severe:
- Seizures
- Coma
In newborns and babies, it may be difficult to identify the initial symptoms. Parents should look for:
- Slow movement
- Inactivity
- Irritability
- Abnormal reflexes
- Poor feeding
- A bulging soft spot on the head
Diagnosis
Laboratory testing of blood or cerebrospinal fluid (spinal cord fluid) samples
Treatment
Treatment includes a range of antibiotics
Vaccines are available
Prognosis
Without immediate treatment, death can occur in a few hours
Though most people recover, learning disabilities, hearing loss, brain damage, and other permanent impairments can result
Prevention: What Can You Do?
- Ensure you and your loved ones get the available vaccines
- There are vaccines for three types of bacteria that cause meningitis:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus)
- Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus)
- Haemophilus influenzae (haemophilus)
Meningitis In the News
Sources:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs141/en/
http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/bacterial.html
