Meningitis
is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses, parasites,
fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis
is most common and the least serious.
Bacterial meningitis is the most common form of serious bacterial
infection with the potential for serious, long-term complications. It is an uncommon disease, but requires
urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death.
Someone
with meningitis will become very ill.
The illness may develop over one or two days, but it can also rapidly
progress in a matter of hours. Not
everyone with meningitis will have the same symptoms.
Children
(over 1 year old) and adults with meningitis may have a severe headache, high
temperature, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights, neck stiffness or joint
pains, and drowsiness or confusion. In
both children and adults, there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots. These can occur anywhere on the body.
The
diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is based on a combination of symptoms and
laboratory results.
If it is
diagnosed early and treated promptly, the majority of people make a complete
recovery. In some cases it can be fatal
or a person may be left with a permanent disability.
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 germ
does not cause meningitis in most people.
Instead, most people become carriers of the germ for days, weeks, or
even months. The bacteria rarely
overcome the body's immune system and cause meningitis or another serious
illness.
Do not
share food, drinks, utensils, toothbrushes, or cigarettes. Limit the number of persons you kiss.
While
there are vaccines for some other strains of bacterial meningitis, they are
used only in special circumstances.
These include when there is a disease outbreak in a community or for
people traveling to a country where there is a high risk of getting the
disease. Also, a vaccine is recommended
by some groups for college students, particularly freshmen living in dorms or
residence halls. The vaccine is safe
and effective (85–90 percent). It can
cause mild side effects, such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting
up to two days. Immunity develops
within seven to ten days after the vaccine is given and lasts for up to five
years.
You should
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 your 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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/, and the Texas Department of Health, http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/