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    Symptoms of Meningitis: How Meningitis Is Spread

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    carissa
    Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms develop suddenly and include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light. It can be caused by viruses or bacteria spread through sneezing, coughing, or kissing. While anyone can get meningitis, babies, teens, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems are most at risk. Tests in the hospital include blood tests, spinal fluid samples, and CT scans to identify the cause. Treatment involves antibiotics, fluids, and steroids to reduce swelling.

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    Symptoms of Meningitis: How Meningitis Is Spread

    Uploaded by

    carissa
    27 views3 pages
    Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms develop suddenly and include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light. It can be caused by viruses or bacteria spread through sneezing, coughing, or kissing. While anyone can get meningitis, babies, teens, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems are most at risk. Tests in the hospital include blood tests, spinal fluid samples, and CT scans to identify the cause. Treatment involves antibiotics, fluids, and steroids to reduce swelling.

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    Sumber : https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/symptoms/

    Original Title

    Meningitis

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    Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms develop suddenly and include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light. It can be caused by viruses or bacteria spread through sneezing, coughing, or kissing. While anyone can get meningitis, babies, teens, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems are most at risk. Tests in the hospital include blood tests, spinal fluid samples, and CT scans to identify the cause. Treatment involves antibiotics, fluids, and steroids to reduce swelling.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    27 views3 pages

    Symptoms of Meningitis: How Meningitis Is Spread

    Uploaded by

    carissa
    Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms develop suddenly and include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light. It can be caused by viruses or bacteria spread through sneezing, coughing, or kissing. While anyone can get meningitis, babies, teens, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems are most at risk. Tests in the hospital include blood tests, spinal fluid samples, and CT scans to identify the cause. Treatment involves antibiotics, fluids, and steroids to reduce swelling.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Meningitis

    Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that


    surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges).

    Symptoms of meningitis
    Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include:

     a high temperature (fever)


     being sick
     a headache
     a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not
    always develop)
     a stiff neck
     a dislike of bright lights
     drowsiness or unresponsiveness
     seizures (fits)
    How meningitis is spread
    Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through:

     sneezing
     coughing
     kissing

    Vaccinations against meningitis
    Vaccinations offer some protection against certain causes of meningitis.

    These include the:

     meningitis B vaccine – offered to babies aged 8 weeks

     6-in-1 vaccine – offered to babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age

     pneumococcal vaccine – 

     Hib/MenC vaccine – offered to babies at 1 year of age

     MMR vaccine – offered to babies at 1 year and a second dose at 3 years and 4 months

     meningitis ACWY vaccine – offered to teenagers,


    Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

    Several different viruses and bacteria can cause meningitis, including:

     meningococcal bacteria – there are several different types, called A, B, C, W,


    X, Y and Z
     pneumococcal bacteria
     Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria
     enteroviruses 
     the mumps virus
     the herpes simplex virus – a virus that usually causes cold sores or genital
    herpes
    Who's most at risk?
    Anyone can potentially get meningitis, but it's more common in:

     babies and young children


     teenagers and young adults
     elderly people
     people with a weak immune system – for example, those with HIV and those
    having chemotherapy
    Tests in hospital

     a physical examination to look for symptoms of meningitis

     a blood test to check for bacteria or viruses

     a lumbar puncture – where a sample of fluid is taken from the spine and checked for
    bacteria or viruses

     a CT scan 

    Treatment in hospital
    Treatment in hospital is recommended in all cases of bacterial meningitis.

    Treatments include:

     antibiotics given directly into a vein


     fluids given directly into a vein to prevent dehydration
     oxygen through a face mask if there are any breathing difficulties
     steroid medication to help reduce any swelling around the brain, in some cases
    Treatment at home
    In the meantime, it can help to:

     get plenty of rest


     take painkillers for a headache or general aches
     take anti-sickness medicine for any vomiting

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