Infection with neisseria meningitidis can produce a variety of clinical manifestations, ranging from transient fever and bacteremia to fulminant disease with death ensuing within hours of the onset of clinical symptoms. Bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, including the pia, arachnoid, and subarachnoid space, that occurs in response to infection with bacteria andor bacterial products. Mollarets meningitis is a rare type of chronic, recurrent, lymphocytic meningitis, often caused by infection with herpes simplex virus type 2. People of any age can get meningitis, but because it can spread easily among those living in close quarters, teens, college students, and boardingschool students are at higher risk for infection. Neisseria meningitidis agent information sheet research. Because the condition is so complex, meningitis treatment can require a team of doctors and health care professionals to. You can find out what meningitis is, how it is treated, what causes it and what to do if you suspect meningitis.
Neonatal meningitis is often caused by group b streptococcus and is associated with prematurity, gestational age, postnatal age, and geographic region. The neurologic complications of bacterial meningitis in the neonate will be discussed here. Causes of encephalitis and meningitis include viruses, bacteria, fungus, and parasites. Bacterial meningitis causes, risk factors, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Meningitis occurs in people of all ages, but it is more common in children and people over 65. Meningococcal disease also causes blood infections. Meningitis about bacterial meningitis infection cdc. Health report any student failing to provide the required.
Meningitis and septicemia constitute the majority of cases of meningococcal disease. A prospective study of etiology of childhood acute bacterial. Meningitis is most commonly caused by bacteria and viruses. Bacterial meningitis is very serious because its onset is rapid and the infection is. There is normally a fluid between the meninges and the brain or spinal cord called cerebrospinal fluid csf. Bacterial meningitis in the united states, 1978 through 1981. Although the occurrence of neonatal meningitis is uncommon, it remains a devastating infection with high mortality and high morbidity. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels. Here are some frequently asked questions that the meningitis now helpline team answer. Practice guidelines for the management of bacterial meningitis. Some 2550% have significant problems with language, motor function, hearing, vision, and cognition 18, 3. These guidelines provide comprehensive information on epidemiology and standard techniques for diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control of meningococcal. A prospective study of etiology of childhood acute. National meningitis association nord national organization.
Bacterial meningitis is more common in the first month than at any other time of life. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain. Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection. See bacterial meningitis in children older than one. Choose from 500 different sets of meningitis flashcards on quizlet. Several types of bacteria can first cause an upper respiratory tract infection and then travel through the bloodstream to the brain. Bacterial meningitis in the united states in 1995 nejm. It most frequently occurs in children younger than 1 year. Meningitislinked infections now number 386, cdc says. Viral meningitis is the most common form of aseptic meningitis and, since the introduction of mumps vaccine, is caused by enteroviruses in up to 85% of cases. Meningitis is a complex illness that can be lifethreatening in some cases. Publications, data, and statistics about naegleria fowleri. In general, meningitis due to bacteria bacterial meningitis is more severe than meningitis caused by viruses viral meningitis.
In order to improve prognosis of the infection, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial to. The disease can also occur when certain bacteria invade the meninges directly. Neisseria meningitidis about neisseria meningitidis is a bacterium hosted only by humans and is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the united states. Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. Smoking, secondhand smoke and crowded living conditions also increase the risk for some kinds of. Learn about the rarer causes as meningitis can affect anyone. In total, 408 children were diagnosed with suspected acute bacterial meningitis. Human neonates are uniquely susceptible to serious infections due to escherichia coli. By steven reinberg and margaret steele healthday reporters. Meningitis diagnostics use cases world health organization. One report estimates an incidence of 1 in 500 in the first 6 months of life. The global evolution of meningococcal epidemiology following.
In the united states, there are roughly 300 to 400 cases of neonatal meningitis for every 100,000 live births. Food and drug administration approved the first vaccine against meningitis b wednesday, opening a way for college students to be protected against a strain of bacteria thats killed six. Bacterial meningitis is a rare but potentially fatal disease. Neonatal meningitis due to escherichia coli k1 the. Education and information about the brain eating ameba naegleria fowleri that causes encephalitis and death including frequently asked questions, biology, sources of infection, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control, and other publications and pertinent information for the public and medical professionals. Neisseria meningitidis is a gramnegative diplococci spheres clumped in pairs bacteria. Meningitis and septicemia constitute the majority of. Meningitis and encephalitis fact sheet national institute. Mar 27, 2019 meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Within these more common bacteria, are other bacteria that cause rarer types of meningitis. About 1,0001,200 people get meningococcal disease each year in the u.
The neisseria meningitidis capsule is important for intracellular survival in human cells. Meningitis is an infection of the covering of the brain and the spinal cord. Additionally, ventilator assistance, kidney dialysis or other supportive treatments may be needed. Isolation of a bacterial species from the cerebrospinal fluid. Some children with meningitis may have longterm problems, but this depends on the cause of the infection and the age of the child. The full text of this article is available as a pdf 4k.
The objective of these practice guidelines is to provide clinicians with recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial meningitis. A young survivor of meningitis is now active in a campaign to raise awareness of the meningitis vaccine. Can people with meningitis pass the illness to others. Additionally, people with weak immune systems are more at risk for meningitis. Most children with viral meningitis recover completely. Most cases of meningitis result from infections that are contagious. A rare type of meningitis, this often lifethreatening condition affects newborns and. Anyone experiencing symptoms of meningitis or encephalitis should. Pattern of meningococcal meningitis outbreak in northern nigeria, 2009 article pdf available in international journal of infectious diseases 43c december 2015 with 487 reads. Feb 12, 2018 neonatal meningitis is often caused by group b streptococcus and is associated with prematurity, gestational age, postnatal age, and geographic region. This pathogen may also cause overwhelming sepsis, purpura fulminans, or rarely benign meningococcemia. Hemophilus influenzae was the most frequent cause of bacterial meningitis 48. There are many different bacteria that can cause meningitis but the two most common are.
In neonatal meningitis, half of the children who survived had longterm impairment of learning and behavior. Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumococcal meningitis and neisseria. Neonatal meningitis due to escherichia coli k1 the journal. Most patients present with signs of meningeal irritation, including, neck stiffness, bulging fontanelle in infants, irritability, lying on one side away from light, and inability to extend the knee when hip is flexed in supine position positive kernigs sign.
Nov 05, 2009 meningitis is a complex illness that can be lifethreatening in some cases. The other 2 are neisseria meningitidis and streptococcus pneumoniae. Incidence of encephalitis is more difficult to estimate because of difficulty in establishing the diagnosis. Neisseria meningitidis meningococcal disease 1 neisseria meningitidis meningococcal disease i. Call our meningitis helpline on 0808 80 10 388 with any query or question you have about meningitis. From 1977 to 1981, 18,642 cases of bacterial meningitis were reported to the centers for disease control. Convulsions, declining level of consciousness, and coma may occur. Catalog home health topics meningitis meningitis 2 products local navigation. Who practical guidelines, control of epidemic meningococcal disease. If you have problems viewing pdf files, download the latest version of adobe reader.
Selected references these references are in pubmed. Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the membrane covering the brain. Throughout the modern era of bacteriology, haemophilus influenzae type b hib has been identified as 1 of the 3 most common causes of bacterial meningitis in adolescents. Fever, severe and constant headache, stiff neck or neck pain, nausea and. Survivors of neonatal meningitis are at significant risk for moderate to severe disability. Meningitis is a contagious respiratory disease caused by bacteria and is spread through air droplets and direct contact with infected persons. The disease was first described as a form or recurrent meningitis in 1944 by pierre mollaret. Other symptoms include confusion or altered consciousness, vomiting, and an inability to tolerate light or loud noises.
Neisseria meningitidis georgia department of public health. We analyzed data from 27 states with full participation from 1978 through 1981. In order to improve prognosis of the infection, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial to prevent mortality and the incidence of neurologic sequelae that cause longterm. Meningitis is inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. When it affects the dura mater it is termed pachymeningitis.
Frequently asked questions and answers about meningococcal meningitis what is meningococcal meningitis. Feb 28, 2018 bacterial meningitis is more common in the first month than at any other time of life. His neuro exam reveals flaccid paralysis of the right lower extremity with intact sensation. More recent data suggest that this distinction may no longer be obvious table 35. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Frequently asked questions and answers about meningococcal. Group b streptococcal meningitis has longterm effects on childrens developmental outcomes. This may not be the complete list of references from this article. Neonatal meningitis secondary to gramnegative enteric organisms has been considered more ominous than neonatal meningitis secondary to grampositive organisms, particularly gbs.
Frequently asked meningitis questions i meningitis now. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. For language access assistance, contact the ncats public information officer. The rate of meningococcal meningitis in regions of subsaharan africa greatly exceeds that occurring in other regions of the world.
Please note that this fact sheet focuses on meningitis in adults. Cases of bacterial meningitis caused by haemophilus influenzae, neisseria meningitidis, group a streptococcus, and listeria monocytogenes should be reported to cdcs national notifiable diseases surveillance system under the disease codes specific for these organisms. Only cases of bacterial meningitis caused by organisms other than those specified should be reported as cases of. Tatiana barichello, in fetal and neonatal physiology fifth edition, 2017. Population structure and capsular switching of invasive neisseria meningitidis isolates in the premeningococcal conjugate vaccine eraunited states, 20002005. Meningitis is an infection of the meninges a thin lining covering the brain and spinal cord caused.
Meningitis is a medical term meaning inflammation of the meninges which are membranes enclosing the human brain and spinal column. Bacterial meningitis manifests most commonly with fever, headache, and a stiff neck. Neisseria meningitis is one of many bacteria that cause the disease. Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges the covering of the brain and spinal cord. Genetic and rare diseases information center gard po box 8126, gaithersburg, md 208988126 tollfree. Meningococcal disease epidemics in the african meningitis belt typically occur during the dry season from january through june when the incidence can reach as high as 1,000 cases per 100,000 population. Herpes simplex virus type 2, which usually causes genital herpes, is present in many cases of mollarets. Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the protective membranes of the central nervous system, is more common in the neonatal period infants less than 44 days old than any other time in life, and is an important cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Viral meningitis or aseptic meningitis is the most common infection of the cns.
Despite advances in infant intensive care, neonatal meningitis remains a devastating disease with considerable risk of mortality and morbidity. Despite the institution of maternal intrapartum prophylaxis, group b streptococcus gbs has remained the most common cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis since the early 1980s, responsible for 40% of all earlyonset infections. Antibiotic treatment of suspected neonatal meningitis. Nmas mission is to educate families, medical professionals, and others about bacterial meningitis and prevention approaches to the disease. Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacteria neisseria meningitidis, and causes a more severe disease that requires prompt treatment of the patient with. Group b streptococcal meningitis has longterm effects on. Background before the introduction of the conjugate vaccines, haemophilus influenzae type b was the major cause of bacterial meningitis in the united states, and meningitis was primarily a disease. Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Longterm sequelae of childhood bacterial meningitis. Neonatal meningitis an overview sciencedirect topics.
Meningitis can be caused by infection from viruses and bacteria germs. The national meningitis association nma is a nonprofit organization founded by five parents whose children have died or suffered longterm disabilities from meningococcal meningitis. The global evolution of meningococcal epidemiology. Other viral pathogens include paramyxoviruses, herpes, influenza, rubella, and adenovirus. Neonatal meningitis is a serious medical condition in infants that is rapidly fatal if untreated. Neisseria meningitidis agent information sheet research support. Enterovirus is the most common causative agent and is a frequent cause of febrile illnesses in children. Spinal meningitis definition of spinal meningitis by.
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