Meningitis - Everything About It
Meningitis - Everything About It
Brief summary:
- Most types of meningitis are transmitted through respiratory secretions.
- The onset of symptoms is similar to the flu, and increases in severity over a short period.
- There is no specific treatment for viruses, and treatment is done by strengthening the body with fluids.
- Vaccination is one of the most important ways to prevent disease.
Definition of Meningitis:
Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges). Swelling caused by inflammation causes symptoms such as headache, fever and stiff neck. It can affect anyone, but it is common in young people from birth to adulthood, as well as the elderly. .
Types of Meningitis:
- Bacterial meningitis: The types of bacteria that affect people in every age group vary, and they are contagious, dangerous, and life-threatening.
- Viral meningitis: It is more common than bacterial, and it spreads most frequently in late summer and early fall. It is contagious and usually mild and passes quickly.
- Chronic meningitis: It is transmitted between people if it is bacterial.
- Other types: fungal meningitis, parasitic meningitis, chemical meningitis.
Causes of Meningitis:
Transmission of bacteria (meningococcus, pneumococcus, or Haemophilus influenzae B) or viruses (enterovirus, mumps, or herpes simplex virus) that cause disease to the body.
Ways of transmission of the Meningitis:
Most types of meningitis are transmitted through respiratory secretions in the following ways:
- Sneezing.
- Coughing.
- Kissing.
- Sharing cups, toothbrushes, cigarettes, and more.
Bacterial meningitis: It is most often transmitted from people who carry bacteria in the throat or nose, and it is rarely transmitted from infected people.
Fungal meningitis: The infection is acquired from the environment (such as: inhaling the microbe from a place contaminated with the remains of birds or bats, etc.) and is not transmitted between people.
Parasitic meningitis: the infection is acquired from its sources in the environment (such as: rodents such as mice and raccoons).
Risk factors:
- Not taking the vaccine against the disease.
- Age: Most cases of viral infections affect children under the age of 5 years, while bacterial infections are common at the age of 20 years and younger.
- pregnancy.
- Weakened immunity due to AIDS or diabetes, splenectomy and others.
- Living with a large group of people (eg: group housing or military bases) because the infection rate increases in crowds.
- Travel to disease-endemic areas such as the African belt countries.
- Contact with people with infectious types of this disease.
- Going for Hajj and Umrah and mixing with pilgrims or pilgrims who may be infected or carriers of the disease.
Symptoms:
Symptoms that affect people over the age of two:
- Sudden rise in temperature.
- stiff neck.
- Severe headache with nausea and vomiting.
- The appearance of a rash.
- cramps.
- difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue and difficulty waking up.
- photosensitivity.
Symptoms that may appear in those under two years of age:
- High temperature.
- Lethargy and unresponsiveness.
- Swelling in the fontanel area of the head.
- Stiffness in the body and neck of the child.
- Refusal to breastfeed.
- Agitation and refusal to become pregnant by others.
- Crying in an abnormal tone.
- cramps.
- A rash in some meningitis.
When should you see a doctor?:
You should see a doctor immediately if you notice symptoms of meningitis in the same person, a family member, or even a co-worker, as the person may need to receive the vaccine to prevent infection.
Complications:
If meningitis is not treated immediately, it may cause serious blood poisoning, leading to permanent damage to the brain and nerves. The most common complications are:
- Death.
- hearing loss.
- Difficulty remembering and concentrating.
- learning difficulties.
- Problems with walking and balance.
- Epileptic seizures.
- Kidney problems.
Diagnosis:
- Medical history.
- Clinical examination.
- Laboratory tests: blood culture, and examination of cerebrospinal fluid (lumbar puncture).
- CT scan.
Treatment:
Knowing the type of meningitis is important because treatment varies depending on the cause:
- Treatment of viral meningitis: It cannot be treated with antibiotics, but it goes away in most cases without medical intervention by resting, drinking fluids, and using analgesics. The doctor may prescribe steroidal anti-inflammatories to reduce swelling of the brain membranes, and he may also prescribe anti-epileptics to control convulsions.
- Treatment of bacterial meningitis: Intravenous antibiotics and steroidal anti-inflammatories, and medications vary according to the bacteria causing the disease.
Your doctor may suction fluids. Other treatments include:
- Intravenous fluids to avoid dehydration.
- Depending on the cause, antivirals may be used (but treatment depends on the body's resistance) and antifungals.
Prevention:
- Get vaccinated for bacterial meningitis.
- Wash your hands the right way.
- Maintaining general hygiene and not sharing cups, toothbrushes, etc. with others.
- Improving the body's immunity by practicing healthy behaviors such as eating healthy food and exercising.
- Cover mouth and nose when sneezing.
- Giving preventive treatment to those coming from infested areas or who were in contact with the infected.
Stay Healthy...
meningitis, meningitis symptoms, meningitis vaccine, meningitis b, meningitis rash, meningitis treatment, meningitis b vaccine, meningitis causes, meningitis in kids, meningitis acwy, meningitis antibiotics, meningitis abbreviation, meningitis airborne, meningitis acwy vaccine, meningitis a vaccine, meningitis amputation, meningitis and encephalitis, a meningitis shot, a meningitis vaccine, a meningitis shot hurt, a meningitis meaning, a meningitis precautions, meningitis a vs b, meningitis a vaccine side effects, meningitis a and b, meningitis b vaccine side effects, meningitis baby, meningitis bacteria, meningitis b vaccine schedule, meningitis booster shot, meningitis belt, meningitis bacterial, meningitis b symptoms, meningitis b vaccine for college students, meningitis b vaccine uk, meningitis b vaccine name, meningitis b vaccine ontario, meningitis contagious, meningitis csf, meningitis complications, meningitis children, meningitis chinese food, meningitis cdc, meningitis contact precautions, meningitis c vaccine, meningitis c vaccine age, meningitis c vaccine side effects, meningitis c symptoms, meningitis c vaccine ireland, meningitis c vaccine uk, meningitis c vaccine dangers, meningitis c vaccine canada, meningitis definition, meningitis death rate, meningitis disease, meningitis dogs, meningitis description, meningitis differential diagnosis, meningitis droplet or airborne, meningitis droplet precautions, d. meningitis, d-dimer meningitis, vitamin d meningitis, strep group d meningitis, sintomas de meningitis, imagenes de meningitis, sintomas de meningitis viral,, meningitis encephalitis, meningitis en español, meningitis empiric therapy, meningitis encephalitis panel, meningitis effects, meningitis exposure, meningitis early symptoms, meningitis ear infection, , meningitis e coli, meningitis e coli k1, meningitis e medicine, e coli meningitis newborn, e coli meningitis in adults, e coli meningitis newborn symptoms, e coli meningitis newborn prognosis, e coli meningitis symptoms, meningitis florida, meningitis fever, meningitis from ear infection, meningitis fatality rate, meningitis facts, meningitis form, meningitis from food, meningitis fatal, c/f meningitis, type of meningitis, how do someone get meningitis, how does meningitis, how does meningitis occur, what are the 5 types of meningitis, how does meningitis start, meningitis guidelines, meningitis glass test, meningitis group b, meningitis group b vaccine, meningitis guidelines 2020, meningitis gram stain, meningitis guidelines 2020 pdf, meningitis genetic, penicillin g meningitis, can gbs cause meningitis, is it common to get meningitis, meningitis headache, meningitis how do you get it, meningitis hearing loss, meningitis history, meningitis herpes, meningitis headache symptoms, meningitis how is it spread, meningitis hydrocephalus, meningitis h influenzae, h influenzae meningitis treatment, h influenzae meningitis symptoms, h influenzae meningitis contact precautions, h influenzae meningitis prophylaxis, h pylori meningitis, h influenzae meningitis precautions, h flu meningitis prophylaxis, meningitis in babies, meningitis in dogs, meningitis in toddlers, meningitis in spanish, meningitis in newborns, meningitis icd 10, meningitis in infants, is meningitis contagious, is meningitis, is meningitis fatal, is meningitis airborne, is meningitis a virus, is meningitis deadly, is meningitis a virus or bacteria, is meningitis common, meningitis jaw pain, meningitis joint pain, meningitis japanese, meningitis johns hopkins, meningitis journal articles, meningitis joints, meningitis jokes, meningitis jab, does meningitis cause joint pain, juvenile meningitis, does meningitis cause jaw pain, japanese meningitis vaccine, does meningitis cause a fever, meningitis kids, meningitis kids symptoms, meningitis kernig sign, meningitis kissing disease, meningitis kill you, meningitis knee test, meningitis knee, meningitis kidney failure, meningitis k, meningitis ke symptoms, meningitis k hindi, meningitis k es, k es la meningitis bacteriana, k causa una meningitis, k es un meningitis, meningitis long term effects, meningitis labs, meningitis lab values, meningitis lumbar puncture interpretation, meningitis limb loss, meningitis lower back pain, meningitis là gì, meningitis leg pain, l meningitis definition, l monocytogenes meningitis, bacterial l meningitis, l asparaginase meningitis, l meningococcal meningitis, sintomas de la meningitis viral, que es la meningitis, tratamiento de la meningitis, meningitis meaning, meningitis medical term, meningitis medical definition, meningitis mortality rate, meningitis medication, meningitis meningococcal, meningitis mri, meningitis mode of transmission, meningitis neck pain, meningitis neck test, meningitis nursing interventions, meningitis nursing, meningitis newborn, meningitis no fever, meningitis name, meningitis types, meningitis vaccine, meningitis treatment, meningitis diagnosis, meningitis symptoms, meningitis prevention, meningitis causes
