| Meningitis is a rare disease, our brains have what is | | | | less, death may occur in more than half of those |
| called a blood brain barrier that protects are brain for | | | | who develop it, even with proper medical treatment. |
| contamination by the blood. However, some | | | | Symptoms |
| infections can trick the barrier, which then decreases | | | | Symptoms of meningitis, which may appear suddenly, |
| its ability to work properly. | | | | often include high fever, severe and persistent |
| Meningitis is a viral. It's means the cause is infection | | | | headache, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting. Changes |
| with a virus. Bacterial meningitis is quite rare but it can | | | | in behavior, such as confusion, sleepiness, and |
| be very serious and needs urgent treatment with | | | | difficulty waking up, are important symptoms. In |
| antibiotics. It is a inflammation of the membranes | | | | infants, symptoms of meningitis are often much less |
| surrounding the brain and spinal cord called the | | | | specific and may include irritability or tiredness, poor |
| meninges. It is rarely occurs when an infection in the | | | | feeding, and fever. |
| body spreads through the blood and into the | | | | High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common |
| cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid that cover the outside of | | | | symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 |
| the brain and spinal cord. | | | | years. These symptoms can develop over several |
| Meningitis is a serious medical problem because it is | | | | hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days. Other |
| difficult to treat. Blood flows into the brain from the | | | | symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort |
| neck through a network of blood vessels. This | | | | looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness. In |
| network contains special cells that prevent many | | | | newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of |
| chemicals from passing into the brain. This system is | | | | fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent |
| known as the blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain | | | | or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear |
| barrier prevents harmful substances from getting into | | | | slow or inactive, or be irritable, have vomiting, or be |
| the brain. The blood-brain barrier "knows" which | | | | feeding poorly. As the disease progresses, patients |
| substances the brain needs and which will damage | | | | of any age may have seizures. |
| brain cells. | | | | Treatment |
| Although bacterial and fungal meningitis require | | | | If meningitis is suspected, medical advice should be |
| extended hospitalization, meningitis caused by viruses | | | | sought immediately. Because some of the early |
| can often be treated at home and has a much | | | | symptoms might be similar to other conditions, a high |
| better outcome. | | | | level of suspicion is required, especially with children. |
| Bacterial meningitis | | | | Prevention is better than cure! Effective vaccines are |
| The most serious form of meningitis, bacterial | | | | now available against some types of meningitis. |
| meningitis, occurs in about 3,000-5,000 people in the | | | | Individuals with bacterial meningitis are hospitalised |
| United States every year. | | | | and treated with antibiotics given directly into a vein, |
| Approximately 20%-25% of the time, even with | | | | in order to achieve the rapid high blood and tissue |
| treatment, bacterial meningitis can be fatal. If | | | | levels of antibiotic that this life-threatening condition |
| bacterial meningitis progresses rapidly, in 24 hours or | | | | requires. |