Meningitis

What is Meningitis?

Meningitis is an extremely dangerous disease which causes your meninges, or the membrane surrounding your brain and spinal cord to inflame. There are many types of meningitis, because the inflammation can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and more. Typically if given treatment, 5-10% of people die, but if untreated, about 50% of patients die. Meningitis can even kill a person within 4 hours! Even if treated, the patient can be left with permanent damage to their brains and ears. Patients between 16-23 and younger than 1 are more likely to get meningitis.

Types of Meningitis:

1. Bacterial Meningitis - deadly, caused by bacteria, vaccines available

2. Viral Meningitis - most common, less severe than bacterial, caused by viruses, vaccines available

3. Fungal Meningitis - very rare, caused by fungi, can be caused by inhalation of spores

4. Parasitic Meningitis - rare, caused by parasites

5. PAM - rare, caused by amoeba

6. Non-infectious Meningitis - caused by non-infectious diseases (eg. cancer/drugs)

How do you contract Meningitis?

Bacterial and Viral:

    Coughing, sneezing and in rare occasions, through contact of feces. The bacteria can go into your sinus system and go into a bloodstream, which brings it to the brain.

Fungal: 

    Can be caused by breathing fungal spores in

Parasitic and PAM:

    Consumed parasitic eggs or amoeba in water

Non-infectious:

    Caused by diseases, injuries or some medications

Symptoms:

- Headaches

- Fever

- Stiff neck

- Nausea

- Sensitivity to brightness

- Seizures

- Confusion

Diagnosis needed:

- Lumbar puncture

- Eye examinations

- Ear examinations

- Blood examinations

- CT

- MRI

- EEG 

What if you don't treat it?

It can cause your brain to be damaged permanently or even cause death.

Treatment: 

- Antibiotics (B)

- Treating symptoms (P)

- Antifungal (F)

- Treated by body/anti-viral (V)

Prevention:

PLEASE GET VACCINES! The most risked from meningitis are teenagers without vaccines. But also, stay away from smoking, drinking as much as possible and get more rest.