FAQ's

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the meninges, a system of membranes around the brain and spine. It can be caused by a variety of organisms but is mainly caused by viruses and bacteria. Bacterial meningitis is an extremely serious disease and can be life-threatening. Immediate treatment is necessary for anyone suspected of having this disease.

What is septicaemia?

Septicaemia is blood poisoning caused by bacteria in the blood stream. The bacteria enter the bloodstream, multiply rapidly and release toxins. Toxins released can damage blood vessels, causing blood to pool under the skin and resulting in a characteristic haemorrhagic rash. Septicaemia is an extremely dangerous disease and anyone presenting signs of septicaemia must be treated immediately.

What causes meningitis?

Meningitis is mainly caused by viruses and bacteria; however fungi and amoebae may also cause this disease.

What are the main symptoms?

Symptoms of meningitis may vary from patient to patient and in the early stages may be mistaken for less serious diseases. The most common symptoms of meningitis are:

Headache
Fever
Stiff neck (unable to bend neck forwards)
Dislike of bright lights
Drowsiness or confusion
Nausea and vomiting.

Do symptoms appear in a particular order?

No, symptoms may appear in any order and some may not appear at all.

What should you do if someone has symptoms of meningitis?

Meningitis is a medical emergency and any patient with a suspected case of meningitis should be treated with antibiotics immediately.

How is it treated?

Bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotics and immediate treatment is crucial to minimise the possibility of after-effects caused by this disease. Reduction of intracranial pressure and surgery may also be necessary.

There is no specific treatment for viral meningitis.

How is meningitis diagnosed?

Lumbar puncture and removal of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is necessary for diagnosis of meningitis. Several different tests are performed on the CSF, including white blood cell counts, protein and glucose concentration, opening pressure and appearance of CSF and bacterial culture and Gram stain. A case of bacterial meningitis is confirmed when a bacterial pathogen is identified in the CSF by either culturing the pathogen or by antigen detection methods.

What are the after-effects?

The after-effects vary depending on whether the meningitis was viral or bacterial.

After-effects of viral meningitis are not normally severe and recovery from this disease is usually complete. However, headaches, tiredness and depression may persist for weeks or even years.

After-effects of bacterial meningitis can be severe and may be permanent. After-effects include: learning difficulties / behavioural problems; memory problems; epilepsy; loss of sight; deafness and brain damage.

Is meningitis contagious?

Some forms of meningitis can be contagious and close contacts of people with bacterial meningitis may be at risk of contracting the disease. It is recommended that close contacts of patients with bacterial meningitis caused by N. meningitidis or H. influenzae receive antibiotics.

What vaccines are available?

Vaccines are available against N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y, H. influenzae type b and S. pneumoniae. Vaccination is the most effective method of preventing meningitis caused by these bacteria and has significantly reduced the incidence of bacterial meningitis in countries where routine vaccination has been implemented.

Is meningitis a notifiable disease?

Meningitis, whether viral, bacterial or other, is a notifiable disease and all cases must be reported to the relevant health authority.