Meningitis

Table of Contents:

  1. What is meningitis?
  2. What are the symptoms of meningitis?
  3. Causes of meningitis
  4. Can meningitis be prevented?
  5. How is meningitis treated?

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

There are different types of meningitis, but the most common is viral meningitis, which occurs when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain.

Bacterial meningitis is rare but can be lethal; although it can be contracted by anyone, it usually occurs in children and in people who have difficulty fighting infections.

Meningitis is an inflammation
of the fluid and membranes

What are the symptoms of meningitis?

All types of meningitis are characterized by the presence of a meningeal syndrome, which includes symptoms such as headache, vomiting, high fever, neck stiffness and general malaise. These symptoms appear three to six days after exposure to the bacteria or virus.

Causes of meningitis

The most common causes of meningitis are viral infections, which usually improve without treatment. However, bacterial meningitis infections are very serious.

Other causes that can lead to meningitis are chemical irritation, fungi, drug allergies, parasites and tumors. There are also other viruses that can cause meningitis, such as enterovirus, herpes, West Nile Virus, those that cause mumps or HIV.

Can it be prevented?

Meningitis can be prevented, in some cases, with vaccines.

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What is the treatment of meningitis?

Bacterial meningitis can be treated with antibiotics, although antibiotics are not helpful for viral meningitis. Antiviral medications may be prescribed for those with herpetic meningitis.

Other options are intravenous fluids and medications to treat other symptoms, such as cerebral edema, shock or seizures.

In any case, a physician specializing in Neurology should be consulted to determine which treatment is best for your particular case.