Meningococcal meningitis

Symptoms of meningitis

Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include:

• a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
• being sick
• a headache
• a blotchy rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it (this won’t always develop)
• a stiff neck
• a dislike of bright lights
• drowsiness or unresponsiveness
• seizures (fits)

These symptoms can appear in any order and some may not appear

How meningitis is spread

Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis.

Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through:

• sneezing
• coughing
• kissing
• sharing utensils, cutlery and toothbrushes

Meningitis is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but aren’t ill themselves.

It can also be caught from someone with meningitis, but this is less common.

Vaccinations against meningitis

Vaccinations offer some protection against certain causes of meningitis.

These include the:

• meningitis B vaccine – offered to babies aged 8 weeks, followed by a second dose at 16 weeks, and a booster at 1 year
• 6-in-1 vaccine – offered to babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age
• pneumococcal vaccine – offered to babies at 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year old
• 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, sixth formers and “fresher” students going to university for the first time
• MenAfriVac® – vaccine to prevent meningitis A epidemics in Africa

Treatments for meningitis

People with suspected meningitis will usually have tests in hospital to confirm the diagnosis and check whether the condition is the result of a viral or bacterial infection.

Bacterial meningitis usually needs to be treated in hospital for at least a week. Treatments include:

• antibiotics given directly into a vein
• fluids given directly into a vein
• oxygen through a face mask

Viral meningitis tends to get better on its own within 7 to 10 days and can often be treated at home. Getting plenty of rest and taking painkillers and anti-sickness medication can help relieve the symptoms in the meantime.

Outlook for meningitis

Viral meningitis will usually get better on its own and rarely causes any long-term problems.

Most people with bacterial meningitis who are treated quickly will also make a full recovery, although some are left with serious, long-term problems. These can include:

• hearing loss or vision loss, which may be partial or total
• problems with memory and concentration
• recurrent seizures (epilepsy)
• co-ordination, movement and balance problems
• loss of limbs – amputation of affected limbs is sometimes necessary

Overall, it’s estimated that up to 1 in every 10 cases of bacterial meningitis is fatal.