Viral Meningitis in Adults

Viral meningitis is more common than bacterial meningitis, but it is the less severe of the two. Since there is no cure for viral infections, the patient recovers from supportive care. Meningitis in adults has different symptoms than in children. Since young children are not able to describe what they are feeling, they present symptoms differently. For adults, the symptoms are less severe, but the disease makes for an uncomfortable time during recovery.

Severity

• Although infection is serious, it is rarely fatal in adults. The infection is cleared by a healthy immune system in seven to ten days. Immunocompromised adults like the elderly or those with HIV may have more serious complications since the immune system is unable to fight and control the disease. For these adults, meningitis can be fatal.

Causes

• Causes for viral meningitis are from a group of viruses called enteroviruses. These viruses include enteroviruses, coxsackieviruses, and echoviruses. Some other infections may lead to viral meningitis like herpes, mumps, measles or Epstein-Barr. These infections travel to the brain and spread in the meninges.

Symptoms

• Symptoms in adults are different from those in children. Adults with viral meningitis have severe headaches, stiff neck, high fever, and difficulty waking up. Lack of energy and chronic fatigue are felt while the infection is cleared by the immune system. Symptoms may show abruptly, or they may gradually become worse until the infection is cleared.

Treatments

• Although there is no cure for viral meningitis, supportive care is effective to make the patient comfortable while the infection clears. Drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of bed rest to keep the body healthy. Doctors may prescribe medication to help relieve some of the symptoms like stiff neck and headaches.