Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

Meningitis, known as meningitis, is an inflammatory process resulting from the entry of microorganisms into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). What is meningitis and how to treat it?

What are the symptoms of meningitis?

Symptoms of viral meningitis appear suddenly and are relatively rarely chronic. They are like flu or cold symptoms. In some cases, inflammation affects the brain and spinal cord.

Common symptoms of viral meningitis are:

  • sleepiness
  • headache
  • fever
  • nausea, vomiting
  • convulsions
  • photosensitivity

The first symptoms of bacterial meningitis include a high fever of up to 40 degrees C. Additionally, there are:

  • headaches
  • nausea, vomiting
  • symptoms typical of upper respiratory tract infection (sore throat, cough, hoarseness)
  • neck stiffness

Bacterial meningitis develops very quickly and the patient's condition deteriorates significantly over the course of a day. There may be unconsciousness, hypersensitivity to stimuli and sepsis. Encephalitis is much more common in bacterial meningitis.

Tuberculous meningitis is developing rapidly. The symptoms of the disease are:

  • headaches
  • vomiting
  • quickly deteriorating
  • loss of consciousness

In fungal meningitis, the course of the disease is much slower. Hydrocephalus occurs more often than with a bacterial infection. In turn, infection with parasites causes fever and headache and can lead to coma and even death.

Types of meningitis

Doctors, guided by the causes that cause the disease, distinguish several types of meningitis:

  • bacterial meningitis
  • viral meningitis
  • fungal meningitis
  • parasitic meningitis

In developing countries, tuberculous meningitis, or tuberculosis, is often diagnosedcentral nervous system caused by mycobacteria tuberculosis ( Mycobacterium tuberculosis ).

Causes of meningitis

Meningitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.

The group of bacteria that are the least likely to cause meningitis include:

  • Listeria monocytogenes- the bacterium that causes listeriosis
  • Borrelia burgdorferi- a bacterium that causes, among others, Lyme disease
  • Staphylococcus(Staphylococcus)
  • Escherichia coli ( colon bacillus)

Other possible reasons are:

  • cancer: leukemia, lymphoid tumors, brain tumors, brain metastases
  • sarcoidosis - a chronic systemic disease characterized by the formation of nodular or infiltrative epithelial lesions
  • taking certain medications, e.g. methotrexate, which is most often used in cancer
  • lead poisoning

Viral Meningitis

Compared to bacterial infections, it is more common, but rarely fatal. Viral meningitis is usually mild and resolves spontaneously. The most dangerous thing is when it becomes encephalitis.

Viruses causing meningitis:

  • enteroviruses - according to research, about 70-80 percent all cases of viral meningitis are caused by ethnoviruses (ECHO, polio, Coxsackie)
  • tick-borne encephalitis viruses
  • herpes simplex , or herpes simplex viruses (HSV)
  • arboviruses (group of viruses transmitted mainly by ticks)
  • mumps virus
  • Herpes zoster virus
  • measles virus
  • influenza A and B virus
  • HIV virus
  • WZW
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)

Some of the viruses mentioned above can spread via airborne droplets. Others may be present in water contaminated with sewage.

CHECK>>Serious complications of the flu

Fungal meningitis

Fungal meningitis leads to chronic meningitis. Although it is relatively rare, it has a poor prognosis in people with a defective immune system. Blood diseases, diabetes and neoplasms contribute to the disease. Most often it is caused by fungiCryptococcus neoformansiCoccidioides immitis .

Parasitic meningitis

Parasitic meningitis is usually caused by the parasiteAcantamoeba(a type of amoeba that causes a parasitic disease called acanthamoebosis) and a protozoanNaegleria fowleriwhich causes negleriosis. Infection causes fever, headache, coma and death.

Infection caused byToxoplasma gondii(a protozoan that causes the zoonotic disease - toxoplasma) can also cause parasitic meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis

Bacterial meningitisis a very serious disease with a high risk of death or permanent complications.

According to research in Poland, 80 percent all bacterial infections are caused by3 bacteria :

  • Neisseria meningitidis , also known as meningococcal disease, which causes meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal sepsis, collectively known as invasive disease meningococcal (IChM) .There are several different types of bacteria, which in medical terminology are referred to as serogroups: A, B, C, W135, Y and Z. Serogroup B dominates in Poland and Europe (approx. 70%, in the first year of life - over 80%);
  • Haemophilus influenzaetype b-hemophilic rod type b;
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae , or pneumococcus, most often attacking infants and young children, as well as the elderly, because they have a weak immune system. Pneumococcal meningitis is a direct threat to their lives.

CHECK>>MENINGOCOKE infection - how does it happen?

What increases the risk of bacterial meningitis?

Factors that increase the risk of developing bacterial meningitis include:

  • acute sinus or middle ear inflammation
  • skull injuries
  • staying in large communities (for meningococcal infection)
  • immunopressant treatment
  • diabetes
  • cancer
  • cirrhosis of the liver
  • alcoholism
Worth knowing

Meningitis and meningococcal sepsis - symptoms in infants

Babies are particularly at risk not only from meningitis, but also from meningococcal sepsis, so in children under 1 year of age, special attention should be paid to symptoms such aslike:

  • fever (feet and hands may be cold)
  • lack of appetite
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • despairing crying, wailing
  • tilting the head back
  • stupor
  • pulsating fontanel
  • ecchymosis, spots on the skin

Effects of meningitis

The greatest risk of complications appears in the case of bacterial or fungal inflammation. It may appear:

  • epilepsy
  • brain swelling
  • hydrocephalus
  • paresis
  • speech disorder
  • hearing impairment

Viral meningitis, on the other hand, is mild, with no permanent damage to he alth.

Treatment of meningitis

Treatment of bacterial meningitis

Antibiotic therapy is used to treat bacterial inflammation. The most commonly used antibiotics for neonates are ampicillin and aminoglycoside. In turn, infants can additionally be given a third-generation cephalosporin, which is also given to older children. Treatment should always take place in an infectious disease ward, and if the cause of the infection is meningococci, antibiotics are also given to people in close proximity to kill meningococci that may be present in the nasopharynx (elimination of the carrier).

Treating viral meningitis

The viral form is treated with intravenous acyclovir. It is an antiviral drug that inhibits the multiplication of herpes, chickenpox and shingles viruses. However, in this case, treatment is most often limited to relieving symptoms. The patient is given painkillers and fever-lowering agents. It is important that the patient remains in hospital during treatment.

Treatment of TB meningitis

Treatment of tuberculous meningitis is based on taking antituberculosis drugs, in the case of fungal inflammation, the antifungal drug amphotericin B and fluconazole are administered.

Treatment of fungal meningitis

In the case of fungal inflammation, the patient is given amphotericin B (an antifungal antibiotic produced by bacteria of the genus Streptomyces) and fluconazole - a broad-spectrum antifungal drug.

If infectedAcanthamoebaiNaegleria fowleriPatient is given amphotericin B. If infected with Toxoplasma gondii, treatment is pyrimethamine ( it is an agent used, among others, in the treatment of malaria) with sulfadiazine or spiramycin.

How to prevent meningitis?

The best way to protect yourself from getting sick is to get vaccinated. Vaccines are available on the market against the main pathogens, such as meningococcus, pneumococcus and Haemophilus influenzae type B.

An extremely important element of disease prevention is compliance with the rules of hygiene, in particular by people who come into contact with patients with meningitis.

Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

Category:

Neurology