Meningitis

Meningitis is a condition involving an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges.

Inflammation may be caused by a variety of factors, including bacterial or viral infection. There are also some species of fungi, protozoa, and certain types of parasites which can also cause Meningitis.

Certain medications, cancers, or various other diseases can also inflame the meninges. However, these non-infectious causes are very rare.

It does not mean that the person will automatically get meningitis if that person becomes infected with a particular bacterium or virus. In most cases, the particular micro-organism will simply cause its usual, run-of-the-mill infection.  However, in other cases, people may carry one of the germs that can cause meningitis without becoming ill at all.  Even though they may have no signs or symptoms of disease, they can still spread the germ and infect others.

Meningitis Transmission

A majority of meningitis cases come from infections that are themselves contagious.

These infections are spread between people in close contact, or people who are exposed by kissing or sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses.

The infectious agents (such as bacteria or viruses) are spread inside tiny drops of fluid that are expelled from the throat or nose of someone who is infected by sneezing, coughin, laughing or talking.

Once airborne, these drops of fluid can enter the body of another person and cause them to be infected with either meningitis or, more likely, the common infection caused by that germ.

A person suffering with meningitis will usually remain contagious whilst still displaying symptoms. Individuals with bacterial meningitis are usually contagious for about 24 hours after they start taking their antibiotics.

Th most common world-wide causes of meningitis is the meningococcal bacterium. It has five main groups - A, B, C, W135 and Y.  This bacteria lives naturally in the back of the nose and throat, or the upper respiratory tract, and people of any age can carry the bacteria for days, weeks or months without becoming ill.  Being a carrier actually helps to boost natural immunity.  It is believed that around 10 to 25 per cent of the population are carriers of meningococcal bacteria, and only rarely do the bacteria overcome the body's defences and cause meningitis. 

The meningococcal bacterium is unable to live for long outside the body. Because fo this,  they cannot be picked up from water supplies, swimming pools, buildings or factories.  The incubation period for meningococcal bacterium is between two and ten days.

Meningitis Complications

Bacterial meningitis is fairly uncommon. It is however extremely dangerous.  one in ten cases are fatal, and one in seven of those people who survive are left with a serious disability, such as deafness or brain damage.

Meningococcal bacteria can cause both meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning). Together these are known as meningococcal disease.  Meningococcal septicaemia can happen in tandem with meningitis or on its own.  Septicaemia is even more life threatening than meningitis and can also be caused by other germs.  Septicaemia is a medical emergency that requires urgent treatment with strong antibiotics.

Other forms of meningitis are less dangerous, but all are serious and require professional medical advice and proper treatment.

• Symptoms of Meningitis
  symptoms of meningitis could be high fever, lethargy, loss of consciousness, and irritability
  
  
• Treatment for meningitis
  treatment for meningitis should take place as soon as possible
  
  
• Prevention of meningitis
  prevention of meningitis begins with having good hygiene