What you need to know about meningitis: Risks, symptoms, treatment and more

Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read

A fourth-grade student at Burns Science and Technology School died last week of meningitis, according to television news reports.

The disease affects thousands of Americans every year, with certain types of meningitis being more dangerous than others.

While people of all ages can be infected, the disease mostly affects young children, who are more susceptible due to their underdeveloped immune systems.

Every year, the U.S. sees around 75,000 cases of viral meningitis — the most common type of the disease. But most of the fatal cases involve infection through bacteria, which is in turn much less common.

Last week: 4th-grader dies, email warns students may have been exposed to meningitis at Burns Sci Tech

Here’s what you should know about meningitis:

What are the types of meningitis?

Meningitis is “a disease caused by an inflammation of the meninges. These are the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. The inflammation is usually caused by infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

There are two types of meningitis:

  • Viral — The most common type but also rarely life-threatening. It is spread between people “by coughing or sneezing, or through poor hygiene.”

  • Bacterial — The less common type, affecting between 1,400-2,800 Americans annually, but potentially more dangerous.

Although rare, a fungus and tuberculosis can also cause the disease.

Why is bacterial meningitis more dangerous than viral meningitis?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “bacterial meningitis can cause the tissues around your brain to swell. This in turn can interfere with blood flow and can result in paralysis, stroke and even death.”

If left untreated, this type of the disease is almost always fatal.

A common form of bacterial meningitis is caused by the Neisseria meningitidis organism. Called meningococcal, it is most typically seen in children 2 to 18 and is spread by respiratory droplets and close contact.

“Meningococcal meningitis occurs most often in the first year of life, but may also occur in people who lived in close quarters such as a college dorm,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Encephalitis: Kat Atwood had never heard of encephalitis until one seizure completely upended her life

According to National Institutes of Health, bacterial meningitis cases have a fatality rate between 8% and 15%.

What are the most common meningitis symptoms?

According to Johns Hopkins, the most common meningitis symptoms are:

  • Fever.

  • Headache.

  • Nausea and vomiting.

  • Stiff neck.

  • Sensitivity to bright light.

  • Confusion.

  • Joint aches or pains.

  • Drowsiness.

  • Seizures.

In children, these symptoms can also include:

  • High-pitched cry.

  • Pale, blotchy skin color.

  • Not wanting to eat.

  • Fretful and fussy.

  • Arching back.

  • Difficult to wake.

It is important to know these symptoms “may look like other conditions or medical problems,” and “not everyone who gets meningitis will have all of these symptoms. Always see your health-care provider for a diagnosis.”

How is meningitis treated?

Treatment is different between the two types of meningitis.

For viral meningitis cases, treatment “is usually aimed at relieving symptoms,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

“With the exception of the herpes simplex virus, there are no specific medicines to treat the organisms that cause viral meningitis. Sometimes antiviral medicines are used to treat some other specific types of viruses.”

In bacterial meningitis cases, however, treatment involves intravenous antibiotics. In children, steroids like dexamethasone can help “decrease the inflammatory response caused by the bacteria.”

Can meningitis be prevented?

Yes. There are several vaccines are available to prevent types of bacterial meningitis, especially in children.

Two doses are recommended for children — the first one around 11, 12 years of age and a booster shot around 18, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

For information about meningitis, visit the cdc.gov/meningitis or hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/meningitis.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Meningitis symptoms and treatment. What you need to know.