Symptom of Meningitis

Meningitis is a potentially life-threatening disease of the protective covering around the brain and spinal cord. It is also called spinal meningitis. The trademark symptoms for meningitis are sudden fever, headache and stiff neck. The stiff neck is typically not just uncomfortable; it is extremely stiff, to the point where a person may not be able to touch his chin to his chest. Because meningitis can be deadly, anyone with these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

Identification

• The membranes covering the spinal cord and brain are called the meninges. Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges and the fluid in the brain and spinal cord, according to MayoClinic.com, which is operated by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. This inflammation can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
  While the viral meningitis may improve without medical treatment, bacterial meningitis can be fatal in a matter of days. It is impossible to determine what is causing the disease without medical intervention.
  Meningitis can affect all age groups, but young infants are more at risk for serious infection.
  Meningitis can be very contagious, according to MayoClinic.com. If a co-worker, roommate or family member has meningitis, those close to her may also need treatment to avoid the disease.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of meningitis include stiff neck, nausea, high fever and light sensitivity, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A person with meningitis may also be confused or difficult to wake.
  The traditional symptoms of stiff neck, fever and nausea may not be present in infants, according to the CDC. An infant with meningitis may be slow, inactive, unwilling to eat, vomiting and irritable.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• If a physician suspects meningitis, he will test samples of the patient's blood, according to information from the CDC. He will also test a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid in the spinal cord and the brain. This fluid is collected through a hollow needle inserted through the patient's spine.
  These blood and fluid samples will be tested to determine what is causing the meningitis. Viral meningitis will often resolve on its own in seven to 10 days. However, bacterial meningitis requires vigorous antibiotic treatment in the hospital.

Risk Factors

• While all age groups can contract meningitis, some are at greater risk. Pre-teens, teenagers, military recruits and college freshmen have a greater risk of contracting bacterial meningitis than the general population, according to the CDC. Also at high risk are people who travel to countries where meningitis is common, like parts of Africa; microbiologists who work with the bacteria; people with a damaged or missing spleen; people with certain immune system disorders; and people who may have been exposed in an outbreak.
  Infants younger than one month old and people with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of serious infections with viral meningitis.

Vaccinations

• There are vaccines available for meningococcal disease, which is meningitis caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, according to the CDC. One of the vaccines, called MCV4, is available for people ages two to 55, especially those in the high-risk categories. It is commonly given during the pre-adolescent immunization visit, usually around 11 or 12 years old. The other vaccine, MPSV4, is the only vaccine approved for people over age 55. Both vaccines prevent four types of meningococcal disease, including two of the three most common in the United States and one type that causes epidemics in Africa.
  There are also vaccinations available against pneumococcal disease, which can also cause meningitis and is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. There are two types of vaccine available: one for children under age five (PCV7) and one for people over age two (PPSV23). PPSV23 is especially recommended for adults over age 65.