There are two types of bacteria that cause meningitis:
Strep pneumoniae cause pneumoncoccal meningitis; there are over 80 subtypes that cause
illness.
Neisseria
meningitidis--meningococcal meningitis; there are 5 subtypes that cause serious illness--
A, B, C, Y,
W-135.
Someone with meningitis will become very ill. The illness may develop over
one or two days, but it can
also rapidly progress in a minute of hours. Not everyone with
meningitis will have the same symptoms.
Children (over 1 yr old) and adults with meningitis may have:
Severe headache
High
temperature
Vomiting
Sensitivity
to bright light
Neck
stiffness, joint pains
Drowsiness
or confusion
In both children and adults, there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots
or bruises cause by bleeding under the skin.
These can occur anywhere on the body. They
are a sign of blood poisoning (septicemia), which sometimes happens
with meningitis,
particularly the meningococcal strain.
If it is diagnosed early and treated promptly, the majority of people make
a complete recovery. In some cases is
can be fatal or a person may be left with a
permanent disability, such as deafness, blindness, amputations or brain
damage ( resulting
in mental retardation or paralysis) even with prompt treatment.
Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious
as diseases like the common cold or the
flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or
by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.
The germs live
naturally in the back of our noses and throats, but they do not live for long outside the
body. They are
spread when people exchange saliva (such as by kissing; sharing drinking
containers, utensils, or cigarettes).
The germs
does not cause meningitis in most
people. Instead, most people become carriers of the germs for days,
weeks
or even months. Being a carrier helps to stimulate your body's natural defense system. The
bacteria rarely over
comes the body's immune system and causes meningitis or other serious
illness.
The risk of getting bacterial meningitis in all age groups is about 2.4
cases per 100,000 population per year. However,
the highest risk group for the most
serious form of the disease, meningococcal meningitis, is highest among children 2-18
years old.
The diagnosis is usually based on a combination of clinical symptoms and
laboratory results from spinal fluid and blood.
Spinal fluid is obtained
by a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
Do not share food, drinks, utensils, toothbrushes, or cigarettes.Limit the
number of persons you kiss.
Vaccines against pneumococcal disease are recommended both for young
children and adults over 64. A vaccine are
against four meningococcal serogroups(A, C, Y,
W-135) is available. These four groups cause the majority of meningococcal
cases in the
United States. These vaccine is recommended by some groups for college students,
particularly freshmen living indorms or residence halls. The vaccine is safe and
effective(85-90%). It can cause mild side effects, such as redness and pain at the
injection site lasting up to two days. Immunity develops within 7 to 10 days after the
vaccine is given and lasts for up to 5 years.
Seek prompt medical attention.
Your school nurse, family doctor, and the staff at your local or regional
health department office are excellent sources for
information on all communicable
diseases. You may also call you local health department or Regional Texas Department of
Health office to ask about meningococcal vaccine. Additional information may also be found
at the web sites for the Center
for Disease Control and Prevention: :www.cdc.gov and the Texas Department of Health:
www.tdh.state.tx.us.
