Meningitis

Question: What is the testing procedure for meningitis? If a college student comes down with meningitis, would all of the other students who took classes in those same buildings also have to get tested, even if they weren't experiencing any of the symptoms and if so, what exactly would that testing entail? Where I go to college, something's going around that, according to my mother, who is a nurse, a possible precursor to meningitis and I was just wondering what exactly I would have to go through, as far as testing is concerned, should either any of my classmates or another person attending a class in one of the same buildings that I do comes down with meningitis.

Answer: well someone would actually have to come down with meningitis for everyone to get tested. If you are concerned you can always ask the doc for a test anyway. The doctors usually look for a fever, rash, vomiting, headaches and check your lymph nodes for inflammation and ask you if you have any pain in your neck especially if you turn your neck up and down. If you have any of these early symptoms then they upgrade to a lumbar puncture to test for it. It isnt as painful as it used to be because they use anesthetics and has its risks but it can tell for sure if it is meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is treatable with antibiotics, viral meningitis has to run its course out of the body.

Question: What is meningitis and what are some effective ways to treat it? I went to my doctor today and had told me that i could possibly have meningitis. My symptoms are headaches fever, tiredness, and stomach ache with vomit.

Answer: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meningitis/DS00118 hope this helps.

Question: What's the difference between meningitis and lyme disease? I was recently diagnosed with lyme disease and my symptoms fit it to a T, headache, stiff neck, and all. However, my mom is worried because lyme can turn into meningitis and my neck/head are hurting worse than ever. Both have the same symptoms. Is there a way I can tell if it is meningitis without getting a spinal tap (major fear of needles...) Thanks!

Answer: Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. Meningitis may develop in response to a number of causes, usually bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, but also physical injury, cancer or certain drugs Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia (such as ticks)

Question: How can you tell the difference between bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis? I've been diagnosed with viral meningitis but I'm not sure the doctor was right since I've never gotten a spinal tap to check the fluids. I need to know if I can distinguish between the two kinds of meningitis. The faster and more informative the response, the better.

Answer: When did you first become ill if it was 3 days or more ago then it is viral otherwise you would be dead. If it has been less then 3 days go to you local ER asap and tell them what your dr told you. Your dr is an idiot for saying that the only way to see if it is meningitis is to do an LP or grow blood cultures. I think what you have is viral because if it was bacterial you would not be able to be sitting on the computer. For all you know you don't have Meningitis at all. Good luck and i hope your feeling better soon

Question: How long is a person with meningitis infectious? I shared a bottle of drink with a friend on Tuesday, on the friday she was taken into hospital with suspected meningitis. I wanted to know how at risk I am.

Answer: you're at no risk at all -- for 99% of cases. BUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! see below................ With the deadliest form of meningitis, meningococcal meningitis, there is a concern for treating close contacts (which really means household contacts, and others like you who might have had saliva contact). About 15% of those close contacts might also come down with bacterial (deadly) meningitis within the 2 weeks after contact with an active case. But in November, you are in the middle of enterovirus season -- almost a guarantee that your friend has viral meningitis. Nothing for you to worry about. Just ask her what KIND of meningitis the doctors said she has. And if she truly had meningococcal meningitis, the doctors would be tracking you down for treatment, as would the public health department.

Question: How often do you need the meningitis vaccine? I had the meningitis vaccine last year to go to college, except this year I am transfering to another college. Do I need another vaccine or is one enough?

Answer: that one should be enough as long as you have written proof of it.

Question: How do you tell the difference between meningitis and the flu? We are out of state, and my mom has gotten sick. She was kidding when she said she thought she had meningitis but now I'm scared. She had a migraine yesterday, and today she got it again along with a stiff neck. She started throwing up about an hour ago, but she tells me not to worry and she just has the flu. We are leaving tomorrow so she isn't hopefully throwing up in the car. Since we are out of state we can't take her to the doctor. Are there any ways to see what he has?

Answer: I would precede to the nearest emergency room. It is difficult to tell the "flu" from meningitis esp. when a stiff neck is involved. The flu is harmless and cause symptoms of fever/chills, aching joints, nausea, vomiting and headache. The symptoms usually resolve in a few days. Meningitis either bacterial or viral is much more serious. It causes similar symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, vomiting, vision changes, and high fevers. It is hard to differentiate between these diseases without professional assistance. Your mom should be evaluated.

Question: What is the difference between meningitis and meningococcal? i know there'meningitis-meningococcal and septicaemia-meningococcal, but whats the difference between just plain meningitis and meningococcal disease?

Answer: here are some links to get you pointed in the right direction:

Question: Where can I go to get a Meningitis vaccine? I'm going to college, and had planned on commuting since dorms were not available. Something happened, and now all of a sudden I can get one when I wasn't planning on it. Long story short, I need to get a meningitis shot in the next week. Where can I find one? I called the local walk-in clinic, they don't have it, neither does my doctor.

Answer: Try the Center for Disease Control, travel agents, or hospitals that have immunizations for international travel. If you want to call another doctor, try one who specializes in infectious diseases. One last thought—can your school make any recommendations about resources?

Question: What kind of meningitis causes you to break out into spots that look like bruises? My sister died in my arms when i was 6 (she was only 2). She died of meningitis but i wasnt for sure which one? i would really like to know, so i can get into deeper research.

Answer: The first answerer obviously got confused. However his remarks track for pimples, generally speaking, allowing for allergic reactions to cause problems with ordinarily harmless foods like chocolate. Your sister had diagnosed meningitis, and bruise-like spots showed up. This sounds like Meningo Toxemia (if I remember how to spell it!), which can cause loss of limbs, or in your sister's case, more than that. Exactly why certain people get it and others don't, remains a mystery. Good luck with your research. Regards, Larry.

Question: Meningitis? I think I have meningitis, and I'm planning on going to the doctor ASAP, but I was just wondering... If I had bacterial meningitis, would I know within 3 days? From what I've heard, most people with bacterial meningitis and lying in bed sick as can be within 1 or 2 days of the symptoms first appearing. I don't feel so hot, but I'm still out and about doing my daily routine. I know viral meningitis normally clears up on its own and isn't very serious, so if I were to have meningitis, I would probably have that, correct? I just don't want to waste hundreds of dollars on a doctor appointment if I can pretty much guarantee I don't have a life threatening disease.

Answer: Presence and duration of a High fever (Over 103), Head ache, Stiff neck when looking up and down, Upper respiratory symptoms, such as runny nose, cough or other cold symptoms, Lethargy. All symptoms of Meningitis. If you really had it you wouldn't be going about your daily routine you wouldn't want to move anywhere.

Question: How often do you need to receive the meningitis vaccine? I received the meningitis vaccination 4 years ago so I was wondering when I would need to receive it again. I work at a hospital so I would say that I'm in a high-risk group. Thanks.

Answer: According to the CDC website: • One dose of the meningitis vaccine is needed. • If previous vaccine was MPSV4, revaccinate after 5yrs if risk continues. •Revaccination after MCV4 is not recommended. •MCV4 is preferred over MPSV4 for persons age 55yrs and younger, although MPSV4 is an acceptable alternative. So, it would depend on what meningitis vaccine you received four years ago. Good luck!

Question: What's the difference between Viral, bacterial and fungal meningitis? I know that they're all different types obviously, bacterial being the most severe. But what's the difference? How does it affect the meninges different and body systems etc? Also..is meningitis just caused frm typical bacteria that just gets spread through the blood into the spinal fluid? For example makes bacterial so much worse than viral and how can viral disappear on it's own where bacterial, treatment is necessary. The MAIN thing I need to know is WHY bacterial is so much more harmful than viral. Like, if both affect the meninges, why is viral so much less serious?

Answer: Viral meningitis can be caused by many different viruses, including common intestinal viruses and viruses associated with mumps and herpes infection. In some cases, people can get viral meningitis from drinking polluted water. The viruses that cause meningitis are contagious, but most people who become infected don't actually develop meningitis. Viral meningitis is usually mild and often clears up within one to two weeks. Bacterial meningitis is a serious and frequently fatal illness. Even treated early, it can result in brain damage, hearing loss or learning disabilities. Some forms of bacterial meningitis such as meningococcal meningitis are highly contagious. The bacteria are spread though coughing, sneezing, kissing or sharing items such as eating utensils or toothbrushes with an infected person. Bacteria commonly identified as causing meningitis are Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenza, group B streptococcus (in newborns) and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other less common bacteria include tuberculosis, Listeria, Staphlococcus and Salmonella. Fungal and parasitic meningitis are relatively uncommon. Fungal meningitis is more common in people with a weakened immune system. Viral meningitis usually doesn't require treatment, although certain types of viral meningitis such as herpes meningitis (HSV1) must be treated with antiviral agents to prevent complications or even death. Doctors often recommend bed rest, fluids and over-the-counter medications to relieve fever and headache. Most people completely recover on their own. Bacterial meningitis needs to be treated immediately to prevent serious complications and death. A number of antibiotics can be used to treat bacterial meningitis, depending on the organism causing the infection. Other medications may also be used to treat symptoms and prevent permanent damage from the disease.

Question: How long does the meningitis vaccination last? I got my meningitis vaccination in 2002. Now I'm a fifth year student living in college and the health services here don't event know when how long the vaccination lasts....which sucks badly.

Answer: It never had any valid effect. Do not get vaccinated. There is no scientific proof that the theory of vaccination is valid, yet there is considerable proof that Vaccines cause illness and death. Just sit back and think about it for a while. Does it feel like sense to inject a disease directly into your bloodstream? The way to avoid disease is to strengthen the immune system. Vaccination weakens it. The Vaccination Hoax http://www.whale.to/b/hoax1.html A Detailed history of vaccination http://dgwa1.fortunecity.com/body/vaccin…

Question: What are the chances of catching meningitis? What are the chances of getting meningitis? How about if you have had a vaccination?

Answer: That depends on a number of things, two of which involve the type of meningitis and the susceptibility of the patient. When I say type, I mean there are a number of organisms that have the capacity to initiate meningitis on a person. And depending on the organism, the chances of acquiring meningitis increases with the pathogenicity of the organism. The chances of contracting meningitis from Neisseria meningitidis (specifically called Epidemic Spinal Meningitis), is much higher than, say, Streptococcus pneumoniae and perhaps even higher than from a viral organism that can cause viral meningitis. One also has to take into account the area where a person lives in; tropical countries and countries where poor hygiene is rampant are the ones with the greater chances of contraction as opposed to here in the United States where proper hygiene and cleanliness are observed. Health care issues are to be considered as well because patients who are infected and have meningitis often transmit the infectious agent to another person, thereby increasing the likelihood of others acquiring the disease as well. This, then, goes to the second aspect of catching meningitis, which is the susceptibility of the patient. Some people can still tolerate infections in their body and not elicit symptoms of meningitis, mainly because the infection is controlled. Some patients, however, are susceptible even to the opportunistic pathogens, that is organisms that normally cause infections when a patient is already sick, have just gotten sick and starting to recover, or one whose immune system is compromised. Vaccination against meningitis offers some degree of protection, but one must put to mind that it is only temporary. Temporary in the sense that it does not last for a lifetime and the organisms covered by a meningitis vaccine may only be limited, meaning it may cover at most 2 organisms and leaving the other organisms that can cause the same disease behind. This is true with other vaccines as well. In short, the chances of contracting meningitis depends mainly on the two I have described above. However, proper hygiene and healthy diet can decrease the risk of contracting meningitis. As a side note, I worked once in a medical microbiology lab and have cultured Neisseria meningitis in a number of plate media. I guess I'm okay because once the symptoms of Epidemic Spinal Meningitis initiate and no medical intervention is performed, I could have died approximately 8 hours upon exposure. This is not meant to scare you or anyone about meningitis, but to let you be aware that such organisms are not easily found everywhere because, like us humans, they need the right environment to sustain their growth. Perhaps knowing the precautions are more significant to avoid getting infected and getting sick. I hope this helps!

Question: What is the pathophysiology of bacterial meningitis? I need to write a paper for my patho class and I have decided to write on bacterial meningitis and would like a clear simple answer to get me started. Anything would help! Thanks

Answer: Meningitis is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis (known as "meningococcal meningitis") . In bacterial meningitis, bacteria reach the meninges by one of two main routes: through the bloodstream or through direct contact between the meninges and either the nasal cavity or the skin. In most cases, meningitis follows invasion of the bloodstream by organisms that live upon mucous surfaces such as the nasal cavity. This is often preceded further by viral infections, which break down the normal barrier provided by the mucous surfaces. Once bacteria have entered the bloodstream, they enter the subarachnoid space in places where the blood-brain barrier is vulnerable—such as the choroid plexus. In the newborn, 25% of those with bloodstream infections due to group B streptococci experience meningitis; in adults this phenomenon is more uncommon.[1] Direct contamination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may arise from indwelling devices, skull fractures, or infections of the nasopharynx or the nasal sinuses that have formed a tract with the subarachnoid space (see above); occasionally, congenital defects of the dura mater can be identified. The large-scale inflammation that occurs in the subarachnoid space during meningitis is not a direct result of bacterial infection but can rather largely be attributed to the response of the immune system to the entrance of bacteria into the central nervous system. When components of the bacterial cell membrane are identified by the immune system-related cells of the brain (astrocytes and microglia), they respond by releasing large amounts of cytokines, hormone-like mediators that recruit other immune cells and stimulate other tissues to participate in an immune response. The blood-brain barrier becomes more permeable, leading to "vasogenic" cerebral edema (swelling of the brain due to fluid leakage from blood vessels). Large numbers of white blood cells enter the CSF, causing inflammation of the meninges, and leading to "interstitial" edema (swelling due to fluid between the cells). In addition, the wall of the blood vessels themselves becomes inflamed (cerebral vasculitis), which leads to a decreased blood flow and a third type of edema, "cytotoxic" edema. The three different forms of cerebral edema all lead to an increased intracranial pressure; together with the lowered blood pressure often encountered in acute infection this means that it is harder for blood to enter the brain, and brain cells are deprived of oxygen and undergo apoptosis (automated cell death). Recently, there has been more evidence to suggest that a complicated network of cytokines, chemokines, proteolytic enzymes and oxidants are responsible for the entire inflammatory process which leads to necrosis (cell death). Genetic targeting and/or pharmacological blockages of these pathways may help to prevent diffuse (widespread) brain injury and therefore decrease mortality of meningitis. It is recognized that antibiotics may initially worsen the process outlined above, by increasing the amount of bacterial cell membrane products released through the destruction of bacteria. Particular treatments, such as the use of glucocorticoids, are aimed at dampening the immune system's response to this phenomenon