MENINGITIS

Meningitis Overview

Meningitis is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease, and is an infection and inflammation of the membranes, the meninges, and cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

Meningitis occured mostly in children under 5 years of age before the development of current vaccines, but has now become more prevalent in young people of ages 14 to 25. The disease has also increased in adults.

The inflammation can be caused by bacterial infections, viral infections, and also by some species of fungi, protozoa, and other parasites.

Bacterial meningitis is generally more serious than viral meningitis, which means that prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential. Viral meningitis is the most common form, but to dtermine which form of the disease a person has can only be done by consulting a Doctor.

Common symptoms include fever, lethargy, irritability, headaches, photophobia (eye sensitivity to light), and a stiff neck, but there can be a range of other symptoms as well.

It can be difficult to tell with newborns and infants as they may not show all of these common symptoms.  Instead they may simply be extremely irritable or lethargic.

When someone becomes infected with a particular bacterium or virus that has been associated with meningitis, it does not mean that the person will automatically get meningitis.

In most cases, the particular micro-organism will simply cause its usual infection.  However, in other cases, the micro-organism may cause meningitis without the person becoming ill or showing any symptoms.  Even though they may have no signs or symptoms of disease, they can still spread the germ and infect others.

In other cases, the person will develop full-blown meningitis, which is a serious and potentially life threatening disease, and about 700 people die in America each year from meningitis.

If you suspect that you or your child has Meningitis seek immediate professional medical advice.

Full information on Meningitis is available in the Free eBook which includes symptoms, complications, transmission, diagnosis, treatment and prevention in detail.

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