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General Info
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Meningitis |
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How do you get it? |
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Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person's
spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain.
People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis.
Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial
infection. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a
virus or bacterium is important because the severity of
illness and the treatment differ.
Viral meningitis is generally less severe and
resolves without specific treatment, while bacterial
meningitis can be quite severe and may result in
brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disability.
For bacterial meningitis, it is also important to
know which type of bacteria is causing the
meningitis because antibiotics can prevent some
types from spreading and infecting other people.
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Who is at risk for it? |
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Some forms are bacterial meningitis
are contagious. The bacteria are spread through the
exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e.,
coughing, kissing). Fortunately, none of the
bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as
things like the common cold or the flu, and they are
not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing
the air where a person with meningitis has been.
However, sometimes the bacteria
that cause meningitis have spread to other people
who have had close or prolonged contact with a
patient with meningitis caused by Neisseria
meningitidis (also called meningococcal meningitis)
or Hib. People in the same household or day-care
center, or anyone with direct contact with a
patient's oral secretions (such as a boyfriend or
girlfriend) would be considered at increased risk of
acquiring the infection.
People who qualify as close
contacts of a person with meningitis caused by N.
meningitidis should receive antibiotics to prevent
them from getting the disease. Antibiotics for
contacts of a person with Hib meningitis disease are
no longer recommended if all contacts 4 years of age
or younger are fully vaccinated against Hib disease
(see below). |
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What are the symptoms? |
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High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms
of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 years. These symptoms can
develop over several hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days.
Other symptoms may include:
In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of
fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to
detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, or be
irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly. As the disease
progresses, patients of any age may have seizures.
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How is meningitis diagnosed? |
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Early diagnosis and treatment are very important. If
symptoms occur, the patient should see a doctor
immediately. The diagnosis is usually made by growing
bacteria from a sample of spinal fluid. The spinal fluid
is obtained by performing a spinal tap, in which a
needle is inserted into an area in the lower back where
fluid in the spinal canal is readily accessible.
Identification of the type of bacteria responsible is
important for selection of correct antibiotics. |
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Can meningitis be treated? |
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Bacterial meningitis can be treated with a number of
effective antibiotics. It is important, however, that
treatment be started early in the course of the disease.
Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common types of
bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying
from meningitis to below 15%, although the risk is
higher among the elderly. |
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Are there vaccines against meningitis? |
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Yes, there are vaccines against Hib and against some
strains of N. meningitidis (meningococcal disease) and many types of
Streptococcus pneumonia. The vaccines against Hib are very safe and
highly effective.
Boynton Health Service can administer this vaccine, but
it is not covered under the student services fee. For more
information, please call Boynton Health Service at 612-625-3222.
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Information on areas for which meningococcal vaccine is recommended can
be obtained by calling the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at
(404)-332-4565.
For further details on meningitis (meningococcal disease) visit the
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website at
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcalg.htm
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