Viral Meningitis Week 2018

Viral Meningitis Awareness Week runs from 1–7 May. Now in its sixth year, the UK charity, Meningitis Now have themed their 2018 campaign ‘#vocalaboutviral’

Though less common than the bacterial form, which shares many similar symptoms, up to 6,000 people each year across the UK suffer from viral meningitis. It is not contagious and, overall, occurs in isolated cases. While vaccines offer protection against some strains, the most common forms are not preventable; babies and young children are most susceptible to contracting the disease. Since antibiotics are ineffective against viruses, there remains no specific treatment for viral meningitis.

There is a misconception held that viral meningitis is always a ‘mild’ disease, prompting the charity to issue a plea to be ‘#vocalaboutviral’. For many, recovery from viral meningitis may leave them with life-changing and disabling after-effects, including brain injury, vision impairment and hearing loss, learning difficulties and behavioural problems. Those who have been affected by the virus are invited to share their stories and experiences to highlight the true impact of the disease and its long-term repercussions.

1. Molleret’s meningitis is the name given to a recurring form of meningitis. This is a rare condition believed to be caused in many cases by infection with a member of the herpes family of viruses. If you have experienced viral meningitis more than once, we would encourage you to ask your GP to investigate it to try and determine the cause. If the herpes simplex virus is identified as the cause, treatment is possible with the anti-viral drug Aciclovir.

2. There is no specific guidance for hospitals for the follow-up of viral meningitis patients. Generally, a lot less is understood about viral meningitis and the effect it has on sufferers, compared to bacterial meningitis. Many people feel they are not taken seriously and face their recovery alone.

3. Responding to our survey - 97% of the 450 people who have had viral meningitis reported experiencing after-effects. After-effects reported include; exhaustion, headaches, memory loss, anxiety, depression, dizziness/balance problems, hearing difficulties, noise intolerance and light aversion. 10% of people responding to the survey were still experiencing after-effects 6-12 months after their initial illness and an additional 7% still had after-effects that lasted for more than one year.

4. It is not known how many people get viral meningitis in the UK each year. Most cases of viral meningitis are not severe enough to need hospital admission and treatment, but experts believe there are many thousands of cases. Although rarely life-threatening, it can make people very unwell, and while most people do make a good recovery, for some recovery can be slow and after-effects long lasting.

5. Many different viruses can cause viral meningitis. The most common group of viruses to cause viral meningitis are called enteroviruses. These viruses live in the intestines and can commonly cause colds, sore throats, vomiting and diarrhoea. Only rarely do these viruses spread through the body to the meninges to cause meningitis. Other causes include the mumps, measles and herpes viruses.

For more information visit the Meningitis Now website where fact sheets and helpful information guides are available to download.