Meningitis: Types, Symptoms, Treatment

There are five types of meningitis; bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal, and non-infectious. The most serious type of meningitis is meningococcal meningitis which is bacterial.

Meningitis was discovered in 1805 by Viesseux during an outbreak in Geneva, Switzerland, but it was until 1887 that the causative agent was identified by Anton Weichselbaum. It was given the name Neisseria intracellularis due to the nature of the intracellular oval micrococci of the organism. Males are more likely to get meningitis than females. Young children are particularly at risk because they have a less developed immune system than older age groups.
Genetics, traveling where meningitis is common, and being around insects and rodents can cause the infection. Most meningitis is caused by bacteria and viruses that live in our bodies.These germs usually stay in the intestines, nose, or throat. If the bacteria or virus spreads to the tissues (meninges) that surround the brain, it will cause inflammation.
Symptoms of meningitis include: sudden high fever, stiff neck, severe headache that seems different than normal, headache with nausea or vomiting, confusion or difficulty concentrating, seizures, sleepiness or difficulty walking, sensitivity to light, no appetite or thirst, and skin rash (sometimes, such as in meningococcal meningitis).
Differentiated diagnosis of meningitis would be brain abscesses, brain neoplasms, delirium tremens (DTs), and herpes simplex in emergency medicine.

Diagnostic tests to confirm meningitis are spinal taps (lumbar puncture), blood tests, CT scans, or additional diagnostic tests for meningitis. A spinal tap will collect cerebrospinal fluid to help see if you have meningitis. A CSF analysis may also help your doctor identify which bacteria caused meningitis.

Specific treatment for meningitis would be antibiotics, corticosteroids, and medicines to reduce fever. You could also do oxygen therapy if you have trouble breathing.(www.webmd.com) Depending on the cause, meningitis may get better on its own, or it can be life-threatening, requiring urgent antibiotic treatment.

There’s a lot you can do to help meningitis. For one, meningococcal vaccines can help prevent the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in teens. Your teen can also take steps to enhance his or her immune system and to prevent the spread of the disease. There is a research foundation called Meningitis Research Foundation. You can visit their website to learn more about what they are doing.