The peak infant age group at risk of bacterial meningitis is six to 18 months of age. Meningococcal disease bacterial meningitis fact sheet. Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the membrane covering the brain. Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. In 2011, the cdc reported the incident rate of bacterial meningitis had declined by nearly onethird over the last decade, due in part to the introduction of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that protects children from streptococcus pneumoniae. Meningitis is a rare but serious infection of the lining of the brain and the spinal cord. If a case of bacterial meningitis is identified in the campus community, our local. There are various types of meningococcal meningitis, which are named with letters of the alphabet, for example, meningitis a. Meningitis this fact sheet provides information on meningitis. Meningitis fact sheets download section meningitis now. Pdf bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, including the pia, arachnoid. Viral meningitis is an infection caused by viruses and bacterial meningitis is an infection caused by bacteria. Viral meningitis this fact sheet is for information only and is not meant to be used for selfdiagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider.
People in close contact with someone who has pneumococcal meningitis do not need to get antibiotics. Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial form of meningitis, a serious infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. The disease can also occur when certain bacteria invade the meninges directly. Viral meningitis is an infection of the meninges a thin lining covering the brain and spinal cord by any one of a number of different viruses. Meningococcal meningitis is of particular importance as it has the potential to cause large epidemics.
Bacterial meningitis is swelling of the membranes around the spinal cord or brain caused by bacteria. Bacterial meningitis is generally more severe and may. Bacterial meningitis fact sheet what is meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is very serious because its onset is rapid and the infection is associated with a significant risk of death. Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord that can be caused by several different types of, as well as viruses and fungibacteria. To diagnose meningitis, your child will need a lumbar puncture see our fact sheet lumbar puncture.
However, permanent disabilities such as brain damage, hearing loss, and learning disabilities can result from the infection. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes meninges surrounding your brain and spinal cord. Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumococcus, neisseria meningitidis meningococcus, and haemophilus influenzae type b. Fact sheet bacterial meningitis what is bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is a rare but potentially fatal disease.
In fatal cases, deaths can occur in as little as a few hours. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the meninges the thin lining of the brain and spinal cord. Anyone can get meningococcal disease, but it is more common in infants and children. Several types of bacteria can first cause an upper respiratory tract infection and then travel through the bloodstream to the brain. There are many different bacteria that can cause meningitis but the two most common are pneumonococcal meningitis and meningococcal. Health services meningitis fact sheet what is meningococcal disease. Diseases which can cause viral meningitis or encephalitis include mumps, measles and polio. Types a, b, and c cause more than 90% of meningococcal disease globally. There are different types of meningitis and each person is affected differently. Meningitis about bacterial meningitis infection cdc. 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.
Here is some information from the centers for disease control and prevention about the disease what is bacterial meningitis. It can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Viral meningitis viral meningitis is usually much less severe than bacterial meningitis, except in cases where the virus has also caused inflammation of the brain encephalitis as well as meningitis. If you are worried your child may have meningitis, you must take your child to your local doctor or hospital immediately. Meningitis nows fact sheets provide information about meningitis and septicaemia, including types, available vaccines, possible aftereffects and coping with them, how an acquired brain injury abi can affect someone and additional useful information. Effective vaccines are available to protect us from the most common causes of bacterial meningitis hib, pneumococcal and most strains of meningococcal diseases. Most cases of meningitis in the united states are caused by a viral infection, but bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections are other causes. Viral meningitis is an infection of the meninges the covering of the brain and spinal cord that is caused by a virus. If your child is showing signs of meningitis or meningococcal infection, take them to the nearest doctor or hospital emergency department immediately. Meningococcal disease meningitis fact sheet new york state requires that students acknowledge that they understand the disease risks and dont wish to be immunized at this time. Invasive disease manifests most commonly as meningitis andor meningococcemia and may progress to purpura fulminans, shock, and death within hours of onset. Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria called neisseria meningitidis. Meningitis and encephalitis fact sheet national institute. Meningitis is an infection of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord.
Bacterial meningitis can be treated with antibiotics while viral meningitis may require very little treatment. Please note that this fact sheet focuses on meningitis in adults. Infectious meningitis is caused by many different germs. Meningococcal disease bacterial meningitis vaccine this sheet talks about exposure to meningococcal disease or meningococcal vaccine in a pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The meningococcal disease fact sheet is also available in portable document format pdf, 90kb meningococcal vaccine school requirement. Meningococcal disease is an infection caused by the bacteria neisseria meningitidis, also known. Cpcc environmental health and safety meningitis fact sheet and notification protocol meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the tissue called meninges that surrounds the brain. Meningococcal disease bacterial meningitis vaccine. The swelling from meningitis typically triggers symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck. Viral vs bacterial meningitis fact sheet pdf 80kb view, download and print the viral vs bacterial meningitis fact sheet. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. Viral meningitis fact sheet meningitis is an infection of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord meningitis can be caused by many different germs including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
While meningitis can affect people of all ages, infants, children and adolescents are typically at an increased risk of infection. August 2014 viral meningitis fact sheet what is viral meningitis. Bacterial meningitis which includes pneumococcal and meningococcal meningitis is a serious and sometimes fatal condition that can progress. It is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Every year over 1 million people worldwide are affected by meningitis. Bacterial meningitis fact sheet overview meningococcal disease is an infection caused by the bacteria neisseria meningitidis, also known as the meningococcus bacteria.
Overall about 50 percent of cases of bacterial meningitis occur in children under the age of five years old, and there is a second. Enteroviruses, the most common cause of viral meningitis, appear most often during the summer and fall in climates with changing seasons. Meningococcal meningitis is associated with high fatality up to 50% when untreated and high frequency more than 10% of severe sequelae. These infections typically appear within 3 to 7 days after being exposed to the bacteria. Nov 21, 2019 viral meningitis is more common in children than adults but it can occur in any age group.
Viral and bacterial meningitis fact sheet kent county. Bacterial meningitis f s utah department of health. Meningococcal disease what meningococcal disease is meningococcal disease is illness caused by the bacterium neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcal bacteria. Bacterial meningitis this fact sheet is for information only and is not meant to be used for selfdiagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider. Bacterial infection of the meninges is referred to as bacterial meningitis. Please talk to your gp or local health service for information see immunisation fact sheet. Sources of further support and more detailed information are listed in the useful contacts section. Our fact sheets are designed as general introductions to each subject and are intended to be concise. Another cause of meningitis is a bacterial infection called meningococcal meningitis. Bacterial meningitis fact sheet bay county, michigan. Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria or viruses. Meningitis is a severe bacterial infection of the bloodstream or meninges a thin lining covering the brain and spinal cord.
There are only vaccines for certain types of bacterial meningitis. What is the difference between viral meningitis and bacterial meningitis. Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a persons spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. This fact sheet is for information only and is not meant to be used for selfdiagnosis or as a substitute for. Viral meningitis is the most common kind of meningitis, and. Viral meningitis nonbacterial meningitis fact sheet. Common types of invasive meningococcal disease include meningitis infection of the meninges, which is a.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord that can. Meningococcal meningitis is an acute form of bacterial meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis. Neisseria meningitidis, a gramnegative diplococcus bacterium carried by 510% of the population. Use our dc health service telephone directory to view the telephone. Meningitis is an infection of the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord meninges.
In queensland, around 300 people are admitted to hospital with viral meningitis each year. Viral vs bacterial meningitis middlesexlondon health unit. Bacterial meningitis is very serious and can be deadly. It can be treated with appropriate antibiotics that also prevents spread. Cpcc environmental health and safety meningitis fact sheet. Meningococcal disease has two common outcomes meningitis and bloodstream infection. The most effective way to protect you and your family against certain types of bacterial meningitis is to get vaccinated. Meningococcal disease is a severe bacterial infection of the bloodstream or meninges the thin lining covering the brain and spinal cord.
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