Meningitis: Symptoms and Causes

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the three membranes that cover your brain and spinal cord.

Viral and bacterial infections are the prime causes of meningitis. Other factors could be:

• cancer
• fungi
• drug-induced reactions

Meningitis caused by some bacteria and viruses can spread. They can spread through close contact, coughing, and sneezing.

What are the symptoms of meningitis?

Both bacterial and viral meningitis might initially manifest with the same symptoms. The signs of bacterial meningitis, however, are typically more severe. Additionally, the symptoms change based on your age.

Viral meningitis symptoms

Viral meningitis in infants may cause:

• low appetite
• irritability
• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• rash
• respiratory symptoms

In adults, viral meningitis may cause:

• headaches
• fever
• stiff neck
• seizures
• sensitivity to bright light
• sleepiness
• lethargy
• nausea and vomiting
• low appetite
• altered mental state

Bacterial meningitis symptoms

Symptoms of bacterial meningitis appear suddenly. They could involve:

• changed state of mind
• nausea
• vomiting
• light sensitivity 
• irritability
• headache
• fever
• chills
• stiff neck
• purple spots on the skin that look like bruises
• sleepiness
• lethargy

In the case that you have these symptoms, get medical help right away. Meningitis caused by viruses and bacteria can be fatal. You cannot diagnose bacterial or viral meningitis based solely on how you feel. To ascertain which type you have, your doctor will need to do tests on you.

Fungal meningitis symptoms

The signs of bacterial meningitis and fungus meningitis are similar. They might consist of:

• nausea
• vomiting
• sensitivity to light
• neck stiffness
• fever
• headache
• a general feeling of being sick
• confusion or disorientation

Chronic meningitis symptoms

When your symptoms persist for longer than four weeks, you are diagnosed with chronic meningitis.

While chronic meningitis can occasionally progress more slowly, its symptoms are comparable to those of other acute meningitis.

Types of meningitis

The leading causes of meningitis include bacterial and viral diseases. There are other additional types of meningitis. Examples include carcinomatous, which is connected to cancer, and cryptococcal, which is brought on by a fungus. These kinds are less typical.

Viral meningitis

The most typical type of meningitis is viral meningitis. About 52% of cases in adults and 58% in newborns are caused by viruses in the enterovirus category. These are more prevalent in the summer and fall, and they include:

• coxsackievirus A
• coxsackievirus B
• echoviruses

Only a small portion of infections are caused by enteroviruses, which account for 10 to 15 million infections annually, resulting in meningitis.

Meningitis can be caused by other viruses. These are some examples:

• West Nile virus
• influenza
• mumps
• HIV
• measles
• herpes viruses
• Coltivirus, which causes Colorado tick fever

Usually, viral meningitis clears up on its own. Some causes, nevertheless, do require treatment.

Bacterial meningitis

Meningitis caused by specific bacteria is infectious and contagious. If untreated, it might be lethal. One in ten people who contract bacterial meningitis pass away, and one in five experience severe consequences. This is still possible even with appropriate care.

The most typical bacterial species that result in bacterial meningitis are:

• Pneumococcal meningitis is a condition that is brought on by the bacteria streptococcus pneumoniae, which is commonly found in the sinuses, nasal cavity, and respiratory system.
• Neisseria meningitidis, which causes “meningococcal meningitis” and is transferred through saliva and other respiratory fluids,
• A foodborne bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes
• Staphylococcus aureus, which causes “staphylococcal meningitis,” is generally present on the skin and in the nasal passages.

Fungal meningitis

A rare kind of meningitis is fungus meningitis. A fungus that affects your body causes it to spread to your brain or spinal cord through your bloodstream.

A compromised immune system increases the risk of fungal meningitis. This includes those who have HIV or cancer.

The fungi that cause fungal meningitis most frequently are:

• Cryptococcus is breathed from dirt or soil infected with bird droppings, particularly those of pigeons and chickens, or with rotting vegetation.
• Blastomyces is another species of fungus found in soil.
• Histoplasma is prevalent in extremely contaminated areas with bat and bird droppings.
• Coccidioides is isolated to certain soil types. India seldom ever encounters it.

Parasitic meningitis

It is caused by parasites that are present in soil, faeces, and on some animals and foods, such as snails, raw fish, chicken, or produce, and is less prevalent than viral or bacterial meningitis.

There are various types of parasite meningitis. Eosinophilic meningitis is the term for it (EM). The three primary parasites that cause EM are as follows. These consist of:

• Angiostrongylus cantonensis
• Baylisascaris procyonis
• Gnathostoma spinigerum

No one can contract parasitic meningitis from another person. Rather, these parasites attack an animal or lurk on food that is later consumed by humans. An infection may happen if the parasite or parasite eggs are contagious when consumed.

Amebic meningitis, a very uncommon form of parasite meningitis, is a potentially fatal infection. This type is brought on by swimming in contaminated ponds, rivers, or lakes, which allows one of several species of an amoeba to enter the body through the nose. In the long run, the parasite may result in hallucinations, seizures, and other severe symptoms by destroying brain tissue. Naegleria fowleri is the species that is most frequently recognised.

Non-infectious meningitis

Meningitis that is not contagious is not an illness. Instead, it is a form of meningitis brought on by other illnesses or medical procedures. These consist of:

• lupus
• a head injury
• brain surgery
• cancer
• certain medications

Chronic meningitis

Meningitis cases that linger for more than four weeks are classified under this category.

Among other things, fungus, rheumatological disorders, and cancer are among the causes of chronic meningitis. The goal of treatment for persistent meningitis is to address the underlying cause (i.e., managing rheumatoid arthritis).

What are the causes of meningitis?

Although each kind of meningitis has a distinct aetiology, they all ultimately have the same effects: Until it reaches the brain or spinal cord, a bacterium, fungus, virus, or parasite spreads throughout the body (through the bloodstream, nerve endings, or even a dormant reactivation in the nervous system). There, it establishes itself in the tissues or bodily fluids surrounding these essential organs and begins to grow into a more complicated infection.

Non-infectious meningitis is caused by a physical problem or another illness; an infection is not involved.