Meningitis

What Is Meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds them

Most infections occur in babies and children under five. Teenagers and young adults aged between 15 and 24, the elderly, and people with long-term illnesses are also more susceptible but the remainder of this article will examine meningitis in babies and small children.

What Causes Meningitis?

Bacteria and viruses are carried harmlessly in everyone’s nose and throat. Occasionally specific types can overcome the body's immune system and cause meningitis. Infections may be spread by:

• coughing
• sneezing
• kissing
• contact with infected blood
• contact  with contaminated food or water

What Are The Symptoms Of  Meningitis?

Look for symptoms similar to flu. Seek urgent medical advice if meningitis is suspected. The following are symptoms of meningitis and may appear in any order

• fever
• vomiting
• severe headache
• stiff and painful neck
• fits
• drowsiness, muscle aches,
• sensitivity to light
• blotchy skin rash

Look for a different sort of rash to check if sceptacaemia is present. This looks like tiny bright red spots which may join together to give the appearance of fresh bruises. The spots do not disappear when a glass is pressed against the skin.

How Many Types Of Meningitis Are There?

There are two types of meningitis, bacterial and virus.

Viral Meningitis accounts about forty per cent of reported meningitis cases. Most are relatively mild, and only rarely fatal. Generally, people infected by these viruses get no symptoms, or may get a cold or a flu-like illness.

There are two types of bacterial infections accounting for about sixty per cent of reported cases of meningitis, meningococcal meningitis and pneumococcal meningitis.

• Group B streptococcal bacteria is the most common type of meningitis in newborn babies. Ninety per cent of babies survive. These bacteria are carried harmlessly by a third of the population.
• Meningococcal meningitis is five times more common than the pneumococcal infection and comes in two main strains - Group B and Group C.  Ninety per cent of sufferers recover from meningococcal meningitis. However, about half of the infected patients develop meningococcal septicaemia as the bacteria enter the blood stream. This is far more serious and most deaths from meningococcal infection are caused by septicaemia.
• Pneumoccocal meningitis can also result in septicaemia. Pneumococcal meningitis tends to cause less  serious illnesses than meningitis, such as ear infections and sore throats.

What Are The Side Effects Of Meningitis?

• permanent brain damage
• loss of limbs
• deafness
• skin scarring
• death

Is There A Meningitis Vaccine That My Child Can Be Given?

A national UK  immunisation programme for meningitis C began in the autumn of 1999. Babies are given the meningitis C vaccine when they have their other immunisations at two, three and four months of age. Please refer to the Immunization Schedule for further information

Extension of vaccination to people aged 20-24 was notified by the chief medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, in January 2002. This is to be offered to all those who were not immunised against meningitis C and for those received the older 'polysaccharide' meningitis vaccine more than three years previously (your GP will be able to tell from your records what vaccinations you have had if you are unsure).