Communicating disease risk factors and preventive measures to lay audiences

Signs, Causes, Prevention and Management

Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. The condition is serious because the inflammation is so close to the vital areas of the body. In general, it can be caused by viruses, bacteria, drugs, or even certain microorganisms. There are at least five different types of meningitis that affect humans: bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and non-infectious (cancer, drugs or inflammatory conditions).

The Centers For Disease Control note that meningitis is a serious health problem for most of the United States, but there are 16 states in which it has high enough numbers and deaths to be considered an epidemic. Tennessee has the highest number of diagnosed fungal cases, for instance.

The most common symptoms of meningitis in adults are severe headaches followed by the inability to flex the neck. The affliction usually starts with a painful headache with suffer high fever, and altered mental states. Other symptoms include extreme sensitivity to light and loud noises. Children, however, often do not experience these symptoms and must be watched carefully when exhibiting irritation or high fevers.

Management -- Meningitis is life threatening if untreated or treatment is delayed. Short-term antibiotics will prevent certain types; but treatment with a wide-spectrum antibiotic program is necessary while tests are done to confirm type. Intravenous fluids may be necessary and there are so many ancillary complications that it is often necessary to put patients into ICU for observation. The exact incidence rate for meningitis is unknown, and remains a serious disease even in the developed world.

The largest meningitis epidemic in history occurred in 1997 and 1997 in Sub-Saharan Africa. This caused 250,000 cases and over 25,000 deaths.

Since the 1980s, many countries have included immunization against a certain influence in childhood vaccination plans, thus practically eliminating certain types of meningitis.