Bacterial Meningitis

Inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord due to a bacterial infection

Symptoms of Bacterial Meningitis

The following features are indicative of Bacterial Meningitis:
  • sudden high fever
  • stiff neck
  • severe headache
  • headache with nausea or vomiting
  • confusion
  • seizures
  • sleepiness
  • difficulty in walking
  • no appetite or thirst
  • skin rash
  • poor feeding and irritability in children
  • photophobia
  • fatigue
  • agitation
  • bulging fontanelles in babies
  • rapid breathing
  • opisthotonos

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Common Causes of Bacterial Meningitis

The following are the most common causes of Bacterial Meningitis:
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria
  • group B Streptococcus bacteria
  • Neisseria meningitidis bacteria
  • Haemophilus influenzae bacteria
  • Listeria monocytogenes bacteria

Risk Factors for Bacterial Meningitis

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Bacterial Meningitis:
  • commonly found in infants
  • mostly found in overcrowded places
  • working with meningitis-causing pathogens
  • traveling to areas like sub-Saharan Africa, Mecca

Prevention of Bacterial Meningitis

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Bacterial Meningitis. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
  • Neisseria meningitidis vaccination
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccination
  • Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) vaccination
  • healthy habits like avoiding smoke

Occurrence of Bacterial Meningitis

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Bacterial Meningitis cases seen each year worldwide:
  • Common between 1 - 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Bacterial Meningitis can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Bacterial Meningitis can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Bacterial Meningitis:
  • Blood cultures: To detect and study a particular bacteria
  • Computerized tomography (CT): To detect the swelling, inflammation or infections in head and other parts of body
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans: To detect the swelling or inflammation
  • Spinal tap (lumbar puncture): To evaluate sugar level, protein and white blood cell count in cerebrospinal fluid
  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification: To determine the specific cause and proper treatment

Doctor for Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Bacterial Meningitis:
  • Infectious disease specialist
  • Neurologist
  • Pediatrician

Complications of Bacterial Meningitis if untreated

Yes, Bacterial Meningitis causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Bacterial Meningitis is left untreated:
  • brain damage
  • hearing loss
  • learning disabilities
  • sepsis
  • can be fatal

Self-care for Bacterial Meningitis

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Bacterial Meningitis:
  • Wash hands thoroughly: Careful hand-washing helps prevent germs
  • Practice good hygiene: Don't share drinks, foods, straws, eating utensils, lip balms or toothbrushes with anyone else
  • Diet: Eat healthy food
  • Cover mouth: Cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing
  • Smoking: Avoid cigarette smoke

Patient Support for Treatment of Bacterial Meningitis

The following actions may help Bacterial Meningitis patients:
  • Join support and advocacy groups: Help connecting with other patients who can provide valuable services

Time for Treatment of Bacterial Meningitis

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Bacterial Meningitis to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
  • In 1 - 4 weeks

Is Bacterial Meningitis Infectious?

Yes, Bacterial Meningitis is known to be infectious. It can spread across people via the following means:
  • certain germs spread through food
  • mothers pass the bacteria to babies during labor or birth
  • coughing
  • sneezing
  • kissing

Related Topics

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.
This page provides information for Bacterial Meningitis.

Related Topics

Meningoencephalitis

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