Cures for Meningitis

Meningitis, or a swelling of membranes in the brain and spinal cord known as meninges, has a number of different causes--including viruses, bacteria and fungi. It is important to understand the cause of the swelling before a proper course of treatment can begin; additionally, not all forms of meningitis have specific treatments.

Causes

• The two most familiar types of meningitis are viral and bacterial. Bacterial meningitis is an interesting case because it is more virulent and more difficult to treat than the viral variety; viruses, because they do not respond to antibiotics, are generally more dangerous and difficult to treat than other pathogens. Other causes of the swelling of the meninges include malaria, fungal and amoebal infection, the use of several prescription drugs (according to a paper by Drs. German Moris and Juan Carlos Garcia-Monco), and other inflammatory conditions. Meningitis can sometimes be recurring, as in people with shunts or compromised immune systems, such as in AIDS patients.

Initial Treatment

• Because the effects of meningitis can be devastating on the patient, it is generally recommended that treatment be begun as soon as the condition is suspected (National Health Service). Treatment is begun with empirical antibiotics, those that target the bacterial infection without knowing specifically what bacteria (or if it is bacteria) is causing the symptoms, with adjustments made once the cause of the meningitis is determined and when resistance is suspected. The choice of antibacterial treatment is based on location, age and other factors. This is unlike other conditions, where treatment is often begun after the specific cause of symptoms is determined, but important because of the serious and fast-moving nature of meningitis. While a diagnosis is being made, other symptoms, such as respiratory failure or shock, may also have to be treated.

After Diagnosis

• After a patient has been determined to have bacterial meningitis, the therapy is switched to an antibiotic specific to the infection. In adults, it is also common to add corticosteroids to the treatment as an anti-inflammatory agent; a meta-analysis led by A.M. Assiri concludes that this treatment is beneficial especially in developed countries with a low incidence of HIV. Despite medical intervention, mortality from bacterial meningitis is high among young children and adults.

Other Treatments

• Viral meningitis is generally less severe than bacterial meningitis, and it has no specific treatment. There is no proven drug therapy that counteracts viral meningitis, and familiar viral treatments like bed rest, fluids and pain relievers are common treatments. Fungal (cryptococcal) meningitis, more common among immunocompromised persons, can be treated, according to a paper by T. Bicanic and T.S. Harrison, with a combination of amphotericin B, flucytosine, and fluconazole. An amoeba known as Naegleria fowleri can cause meningitis in humans; this is incredibly rare, but also almost always fatal, and there is no proven effective treatment against N. fowleri.

Prevention/Solution

• Vaccination against some of the causes of meningitis has led to a decline in some incidences. Antibiotics can be used as a preventative measure to protect those around someone infected with bacterial meningitis, according to a paper led by A. Fraser.