Meningitis

The most common symptoms in teens and adults are:

• A stiff and painful neck, especially when you try to touch your chin to your chest.
• Fever.
• Headache.
• Vomiting.
• Trouble staying awake.
• Seizures.

Children, older adults, and people with other medical problems may have different symptoms:

• Babies may be cranky and refuse to eat. They may have a rash. They may cry when held.
• Young children may act like they have the flu. They may cough or have trouble breathing.
• Older adults and people with other medical problems may have only a slight headache and fever.

It is very important to see a doctor right away if you or your child has these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell whether they are caused by viral or bacterial meningitis. And bacterial meningitis can be deadly if it's not treated right away.

Risk factors for meningitis include:

• Genetics. Some people may inherit the tendency to get meningitis.
• Crowded living conditions. People in camps, day care centers, schools, and college dormitories are more likely to get it.
• Having other infections. This includes upper respiratory infections, mumps, tuberculosis (TB), syphilis, Lyme disease, and illnesses caused by herpes viruses.
• Not getting childhood immunizations. People who didn't get shots for mumps, Hib disease, or pneumococcal infections before age 2 are more likely to get meningitis.
• Age. Older adults who haven't gotten a pneumococcal vaccine are more likely to get meningitis.
• Not having a working spleen. The spleen is part of the body's immune system.
• Travel to areas where the disease is common.

Certain medical problems can also increase your risk for meningitis.

Most meningitis is caused by bacteria and viruses that often live in our bodies. Usually these germs stay in the intestines or in the nose and throat, where they may or may not make us sick. But if they spread to the tissues (meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord, they cause inflammation. This inflammation is called meningitis.

The germs that can lead to meningitis are contagious. This means they can be passed from one person to another.

Viral meningitis is the most common and the least dangerous. It's caused by viruses, most often enteroviruses that live in the intestines.

Bacterial meningitis is caused by bacteria. It's a very serious illness. These germs are usually passed from one person to another through infected saliva or mucus.

In rare cases, meningitis can be caused by other kinds of organisms and certain health conditions or medicines.

Your doctor will ask questions about your health, do an exam, and do one or more tests.

The doctor will almost always do a lumbar puncture. A long, thin needle is put into the spinal canal. The doctor uses the needle to collect samples of spinal fluid to check for bacteria and viruses.

Other tests that may be done include a:

• Complete blood count. This checks for signs of infection.
• Blood culture. This checks for infections.
• Urine test. It checks for infection in the urinary tract.
• Chest X-ray. It checks for lung infections.
• Biopsy of a skin rash.
• CT scan or MRI. These tests can look for swelling of brain tissue or for complications such as brain damage.

With mild cases of viral meningitis, you may only need home treatment. This includes drinking extra fluids and taking medicine for pain and fever.

Bacterial or severe viral meningitis may require treatment in a hospital. This includes:

• Medicines such as antibiotics, steroid medicines, and medicines to reduce fever.
• Oxygen therapy. This is done if you have trouble breathing. If people are too sick to breathe on their own, they may need a machine called a ventilator.
• Treatments to remove mucus from the bronchial tubes.
• Supportive care. In the hospital, doctors watch you closely and provide care if needed.

Most healthy adults who have recovered from meningitis don't need follow-up care. But babies and children always need follow-up care after they get better. This is to check for long-term problems caused by the illness.