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What is Meningitis?
It is simply an inflammation of the meninges. The Meninges is the lining surrounding the brain. It can be caused by many different organisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Bacterial Meningitis is very serious and needs urgent treatment with antibiotics. Any bacteria has the potential to cause meningitis.
Viral Meningitis is more common than bacterial meningitis. but it is rarely life threatening, but it will make people weak. It can be caused by many different viruses e.g. herpes simplex. Most are spread through coughing and sneezing or poor hygiene.
Contact with someone who has viral meningitis does not increase your chances of developing the disease. although the initial virus e.g. chickenpox is infectious but this does not mean that the virus will eventually cause meningitis.
Fungal Meningitis is extremely rare and is caused mainly by the cryptococcal fungus. It usually only occurs in people whose immune system has been severely weakened by disease e.g. AIDS or leukaemia.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are often hard to spot as they are like those of flu. They may appear over one or two days but sometimes over just one or two hours. The incubation period for bacterial meningitis is anywhere between 2 and 10 days and for viral meningitis symptoms can be up to 3 weeks.
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Symptoms have no specific order and may not appear at all. Usual symptoms are:
- High temperature, fever, possibly with cold hands and/or feet
- Vomiting, sometimes diarrhea
- Severe headache
- Neck stiffness
- Joint/muscle pain
- Dislike of bright lights
- Drowsiness
A septicaemic (blood poisoning through bacteria) rash may also occur, made up of tiny blood spots. The famous 'glass test' should be used. Place a glass over the rash and rub over the top, if the rash does not disappear then get yourself to hospital because you could have meningitis
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