Meningitis Fact Sheet

Meningitis is irritation and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord coverings. It will cause a change in the cerebral spinal fluid of the brain.

• Meningitis affects the brain

Symptoms

• The classic symptoms of meningitis are the stiff neck, fever and headache. Other signs include seizures, confusion, vomiting and sensitivity to light. There may be a disinterest in eating and drinking, sleepiness, and some may cause skin rashes, such as meningococcal meningitis.

Causes

• While most cases are from a viral infection, some are caused by bacterial or fungal infections. According to the Mayo Clinic, bacterial infections are most damaging and fungal infections are the least common cause. Other causes include cancer, lupus and drug allergies.

Risk Factors

• Risk factors include age (viral hits hard in children under 5 years old, bacterial hits around 25 yrs old), living in a community setting (colleges, boarding schools) and pregnancy (infections from listeriosis can cause meningitis). Completing the vaccine schedule for childhood helps your risk.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis can be made for meningitis through CT scans, throat cultures and a spinal tap (also called a lumbar puncture).

Treatment

• Treatments depend on what type of meningitis you have. Some treat with antibiotics (bacterial) or bed rest and over-the-counter pain meds (viral).