Anyone, regardless of their age or physical condition, can get meningitis. Either way, it appears more often in people with a poor immune system.
The most dangerous thing about this disease is that it can develop quickly, hence it is important to have an immediate medical response as soon as some symptoms such as neck stiffness or sudden fever occur.
Do you want to know what meningitis is? What are the causes and symptoms, as well as the most effective treatment? We have included relevant information so you know more details about this infection.
What Is Meningitis?
This is an infectious disease caused by a virus or bacteria that leads to inflammation of the meninges (membranes covering the entire central nervous system, including the spinal cord and brain). When meninges become infected because of the pathogen, we talk about meningitis.
Sometimes, the bacteria can lead to an infection in the blood, which is called meningococcal sepsis. In this case, we talk about a rather serious medical emergency that can lead to multi-organ failure in a short time.
There are several types of meningitis, the most frequent being called viral meningitis. This disease occurs when the virus enters the body through the mouth or nose, reaching the brain.
Bacterial meningitis is a pathology that appears less frequently. However, it is so serious that it can lead to death. In this case, bacteria can cause symptoms similar to the common flu, but in this case, they vehemently attack, causing deafness, injury, or strokes, as well as damage to other organs.
Meningococcal infections we have been talking about before can cause it, as can pneumococcus infections, a type of streptococcal bacteria.
Causes of Meningitis
The most common cause of meningitis is infection, which, as we have already indicated, can be caused by bacteria or viruses.
The viral infection is the most common and also the least worrying. People who have it can improve at any time without the need to take any kind of medication.
Bacterial infections, on the other hand, are so severe that the affected person can suffer brain damage and even cause death.
Although infections are their most common cover letter, meningitis also appears as a result of tumors and fungi, as well as the presence of other viruses such as lip and genital herpes, HIV, or mumps.
Symptoms of meningitis
A person can be infected through the droplets that an infected individual expels when sneezing, coughing, or even talking. As a rule, contagion when contacting contaminated objects is something that does not usually happen, although it can happen at times.
Meningitis is seasonal and usually occurs in spring and autumn. In addition, it usually develops in certain environments such as residences, schools, or day-care centers, where it spreads easily.
After becoming infected, the person may present the first symptoms between the second and tenth day after the contagion. In some cases it starts with symptoms very similar to the flu, these being the most common that announce their appearance:
– Strong headache.
– High fever.
– Stiff neck with pain in the area that makes it impossible for the affected person to lower the chin to the chest.
– Drowsiness and sudden loss of consciousness.
– Convulsions, delirium and agitation.
– Sudly vomiting that distinguishes themselves by being so intense.
– Spots on the skin of a color between red and purple indicate gravity.
In children under two years of age, meningitis occurs with high fever, excessive irritability, inactivity, continuous crying, drowsiness, and rejection of food. The elderly, for their part, do not suffer from stiffness in the neck or fever, only a level of altered consciousness.
Prevention
Despite knowing what meningitis is and the severity of this disease, many people are not aware that vaccination is the best method of prevention. Currently, there are several vaccines included in Spain’s official vaccination schedule, which have virtually eliminated the different types of meningitis that exist.
In fact, in Spain, it is mandatory to immunize with the meningococcal C vaccine. The purpose of this vaccine is to strengthen the defenses against this bacteria, leading to effective protection that begins two weeks after being injected. In babies aged 0 and 6 months, three doses are needed, two for children aged 7 and 12 months, and only one for children over one year of age.
This type of vaccine is indicated for children under 6 years of age and usually causes some minor side effects such as low fever, small discomfort in the injection area, and irritability. On the other hand, it is contraindicated in the case of the child’s hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine, whether he has a fever at the time of vaccination or in people with immunodeficiency disorder or immunosuppressed.
In 2013, the meningococcal B vaccine was authorized within the European Union and two years later it was already possible to purchase it in pharmacies in Spain. In this case, the vaccine is recommended in children from 2 months of age, for those who have had the disease meningocele in the past, in case of an outbreak, or some immunosuppressed people.
The dose of treatment will depend on the patient’s age. Thus, there will be 4 doses in children between 2 to 5 months; 6 doses in children between 6 and 23 months of age; only 2 doses in children between 2 to 10 years of age; and 2 doses in adults and adolescents.
Treatment for Meningitis
Most cases of patients suffering from viral meningitis recover without any complications. However, in bacterial meningitis, the most harmful, intensive treatment with antibiotics and special care in the hospital is needed.
The patient may receive other necessary care such as taking other medications to avoid certain damage that may occur (epileptic seizures, shock, or cerebral edema) or intravenous therapies to directly administer fluids.
When dealing with meningitis, it is essential to obtain an early diagnosis and to have the immediate assistance of a health specialist. And the disease may evolve forcefully or dangerously attack the immune system.