Meningitis

• Facts
  • Meningitis facts
• What Is It?
  • What is meningitis?
  • How does meningitis spread?
• Encephalomyelitis
  • What is encephalomyelitis?
• Causes
  • What causes meningitis?
• Symptoms and Signs
  • What are meningitis symptoms and signs?
• Types
  • What are the types of meningitis?
• Risks and Complications
  • What are the risk factors for meningitis?
  • What is the prognosis (outlook), and what are the complications for patients with meningitis?
• Doctor and Specialists
  • What specialties of doctors treat meningitis?
• Diagnosis
  • How do health care professionals diagnose meningitis?
• Treatment
  • What is the treatment of meningitis?
• Contagious
  • Is meningitis contagious?
• How to Prevent
  • Is it possible to prevent meningitis? Is there a meningitis vaccine?
• Vaccine Side Effects
  • What are side effects of the meningitis vaccine?

• People with immune disorders like HIV
• People taking medications that suppress immunity
• People whose spleen is not working or had it removed (hyposplenia, asplenia, sickle cell disease)
• People who have had skull or facial fractures with leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• People who have a cochlear implant
• People with chronic lung, heart, or kidney conditions

Teens and young adults are at higher risk for invasive meningococcal disease, and routine vaccination of this age group is recommended with meningococcal conjugate vaccine, which covers the commonest serogroups in the U.S. (A, C, W, and Y). Certain people with immune problems are at higher risk for meningococcal disease and should also receive serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. These include

• people whose spleen is not working or had it removed (hyposplenia, asplenia, sickle cell disease);
• people with specific immune disorders like deficiencies of complement, properdin, factor H or factor D;
• people living with HIV disease; and
• people who take eculizumab (Soliris) for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Certain groups of people are more likely to be exposed to meningococcal disease. They can also benefit from vaccination with serogroup B meningococcal vaccines:

• People living in close and household contact with someone who has meningococcal meningitis
• People who may have been exposed during an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis
• Freshman college students living in on-campus group housing
• Military recruits living in group housing
• Travelers to areas where meningococcal meningitis is common (endemic). Sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season is known as the meningitis belt, and risk is high during the crowded annual Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
• People who may be exposed to meningococcus in a laboratory

Pregnant women and people over 50 years of age are at increased risk of meningitis from Listeria monocytogenes. Other types of meningitis have risk factors due to specific exposures to soil, water, foods, and insect bites.

This depends on the type of meningitis and the specific organism.

Classic community-acquired acute bacterial meningitis spreads from person to person, usually from respiratory droplets or saliva (spit). Meningococcus, pneumococcus, and H. influenzae are spread this way. Community-acquired acute viral meningitis usually spreads from person to person in saliva, respiratory droplets, or diarrhea.

Group B Streptococcus spreads from mother to baby during vaginal delivery. People acquire Listeria monocytogenes from contaminated food.

Herpes and varicella are acquired from person to person and can reactivate several years after infection. Several encephalitis viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes.

Fungal meningitis is usually acquired from breathing fungal spores in the air.

Specialists who may be part of the team caring for someone with meningitis include: pediatricians, family practice or general internal medicine specialists, hospitalists or critical care (intensive care) specialists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and infectious disease specialists.

Meningitis is suspected when fever, headache, and neck stiffness are present. The doctor diagnoses meningitis after a completing a thorough history (asking the patient questions) and examination. The examination includes Brudzinski's and Kernig's maneuvers to detect signs of inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges). Based on the history and examination, the doctor suggests specific tests to further help in determining the diagnosis.

Tests that are used in the evaluation of individuals suspected of having meningitis include evaluation of the blood for signs of infection and possible presence of bacteria, brain scanning (such as CT scan or MRI scan), and cerebrospinal fluid analysis.

A lumbar puncture is the most common method of obtaining a sample of the fluid in the spinal canal (the cerebrospinal fluid or CSF) for examination. A lumbar puncture (LP) is the insertion of a needle into the fluid within the spinal canal. It is termed a "lumbar puncture" because the needle goes into the lumbar portion of the back (the lower portion of the back). The needle passes between the bony parts of the spine until it reaches the cerebral spinal fluid. A small amount of fluid is then collected and sent to the laboratory for examination. The evaluation of the spinal fluid is usually necessary for the definitive diagnosis and to help make optimal treatment decisions (such as the appropriate choice of antibiotics in the case of bacterial meningitis).

The diagnosis is confirmed by abnormal spinal fluid results and, in the case of an infection, by identifying the organism causing the infection. In patients with meningitis, the CSF fluid often has a low glucose (sugar) level and increased white blood cell count. In addition, the fluid can be used to identify some viral causes of meningitis (PCR or polymerase chain reaction) or be used to culture bacterial organisms causing the meningitis.

There is no over-the-counter treatment or home remedy for meningitis. It is a medical emergency and requires immediate medical evaluation at an emergency department or hospital to determine the type of treatment. Antibiotic and/or antiviral medications need to be considered urgently when the diagnosis of acute meningitis is suspected. In the case of suspected amoebic meningitis with warm water exposure, an infectious disease specialist and CDC consultation must be urgently considered. In some situations, anticonvulsants are used to prevent or treat seizures (a possible side effect of inflammation of the brain). Sometimes doctors administer corticosteroids to reduce brain swelling and inflammation. Sedatives may be needed for irritability or restlessness. Additional medications might be used to decrease the fever or treat headaches. With severe meningitis that is causing high CSF pressure, a neurosurgeon may be called to insert a tube (CSF shunt) to measure and relieve the pressure. The duration of hospitalization and need for other tests and treatments usually depends on the type of meningitis the patient has and the severity of symptoms.

The prognosis for meningitis varies. Some cases, like aseptic meningitis, are mild, short, and relatively benign and patients have full recovery. Other cases are severe, and permanent impairment, brain damage, or death is possible. This is usually determined by the type of infection present and how quickly treatment can be started. Meningitis can lead to permanent damage to the nervous system and can cause hydrocephalus (increased CSF, or water on the brain).

With early diagnosis and prompt treatment, many patients recover from meningitis. Viral meningitis can be self-limited to 10 days or less. However, in some cases, the disease progresses so rapidly that death occurs during the first 48 hours, despite early treatment.

Yes, some forms of viral and bacterial meningitis are contagious. The organisms are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (for example, coughing, kissing, sharing of utensils), as well as diarrhea in the case of viruses. Sometimes meningitis can spread to other people who have had close or prolonged contact with a patient with meningitis.

Basic steps to avoid spread of organisms, such hand washing and covering one's mouth when coughing, will also help in decreasing the risk of spreading meningitis. There are vaccines against Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) and against some strains of N. meningitidis and many types of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Prior to routine vaccination, H. influenzae type B was one of the most common causes of acute meningitis and invasive infections in children. These conditions are now uncommon. The vaccines against Hib are very safe and highly effective. By 6 months of age, every infant should receive at least three doses of an Hib vaccine, the earliest at 8 weeks of age. A fourth dose ("booster") should be given to children between 12 and 18 months of age. Hemophilus influenzae can cause severe infections in adults, who can spread an invasive strain to a newborn or unvaccinated older child. Certain close contacts of a person with invasive H. influenzae disease may be considered for preventive antibiotics (called prophylaxis or chemoprophylaxis).

There are two types of vaccines available to prevent N. meningitides (meningococcal) infections in the U.S. Protection lasts about five years, so they are given during the highest risk age periods:

• Meningococcal conjugate vaccines (Menactra and Menveo)
  • Prevents infection with serogroups A, C, W, and Y
  • Recommended for all preteens and teens at age 11 to 12 years of age, plus a booster dose at 16.
• Serogroup B meningococcal vaccines (Bexsero and Trumenba)
  • Prevents infection with serogroup B
  • Recommended for all those at high risk, including immune defects and travel to high risk areas
  • All those aged 16-23 should consider this vaccine, especially before college entry.

Because meningococcal disease causes lasting disability or death, it is highly contagious, and travelers are bringing it home from endemic areas, the CDC recommends two doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine during the preteen and teen years of greatest risk. Those aged 16 through 23 may also want to be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. This is especially important for those intending to attend college as living in the large college environment is a risk factor for developing meningococcal meningitis.

Although large epidemics of meningococcal meningitis do not occur in the United States, some countries experience large, periodic epidemics. Overseas travelers should check to see if meningococcal vaccine is recommended for their destination. Travelers should receive the vaccine at least one week before departure if possible.

Chemoprophylaxis for Neisseria meningitidis is very effective in preventing infections of close contacts of people with meningococcal disease and helps prevent or stop epidemics while protection from vaccine kicks in. People in the same household, dormitory, or day care center, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions would be considered at increased risk of acquiring the infection. This also holds true for health care professionals involved in direct, prolonged contact, especially during procedures such as intubations (placing a breathing tube). People who qualify as close contacts of a person with meningitis caused by N. meningitidis should receive antibiotics (prophylaxis or chemoprophylaxis) to prevent them from getting the disease.

Vaccines to prevent meningitis due to S. pneumoniae (also called pneumococcal meningitis) can also prevent other forms of infection due to S. pneumoniae. The two types of pneumococcal vaccine are available in the U.S.:

• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13, or Prevnar 13)
  • Recommended routinely between 8 weeks and 2 years
  • Recommended routinely at 65 years of age and over
  • Recommended between ages 2 and 64 for higher risk groups
• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23, or Pneumovax23)
  • Recommended routinely at 65 years of age and over
  • Recommended between ages 19 and 64 for cigarette smokers
  • Recommended between ages 2 and 64 for higher risk groups

Interestingly, bacterial meningitis from pneumococcus does not commonly spread or cause outbreaks from people with meningitis but from people who are carrying it in their throat without symptoms. Therefore, prophylaxis of close contacts is not generally recommended for those with pneumococcal meningitis.

The side effects of the vaccines available for preventing acute bacterial meningitis are generally mild, and the vaccines are highly effective. The following are possible symptoms that have been reported with the pneumococcal, meningococcal, and Hib vaccines.

Any medical procedure involving a needle (like a vaccine or blood draw for lab tests) can occasionally cause a temporary lightheadedness, nausea, ringing in the ears or fainting (blacking out). This is called a vasovagal reaction. It is a common, normal, and involuntary response to even mild pain or psychological distress. It is a natural protective reflex against what the body may interpret as a deep bite from a predator. Health care professionals are used to managing this. It helps to remain sitting or lie down if needed for several minutes before standing up. Many people have no vasovagal reaction at all to injections.

Soon after any injection, it is normal to feel a small lump and achiness in the area from the fluid in the tissues. Just like a bruise, it will be sore for a couple of days as the body absorbs the vaccine. If the injection is close to the shoulder tendon, it may cause more pain and stiffness. If a vein is punctured unexpectedly, there may be a bruise for a several days while the blood is reabsorbed.

Vaccines fool the body into thinking it has an infection. This revs up immune defenses against the actual disease. Most vaccines take at least two weeks to stimulate the highest protective response. It is normal to feels signs of this happening within a few hours or a day, at most. Signs include tiredness, low-grade fever, mild chills, or body aches. Babies and young children may be irritable or fussy. Some children are prone to seizures during fever (febrile seizure), but this is fortunately uncommon after vaccines. Most people just have swelling or soreness at the injection site. These symptoms should not be bad enough to interrupt daily activities or work. They should resolve within a few days.

High fevers or more severe symptoms suggest another condition that may need medical attention and should not be ignored as a possible side effect. It is also important to report possible severe side effects from vaccines. The CDC and FDA monitor vaccine safety and investigate serious events on behalf of the public. Anyone can report a possible problem with a vaccine at the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.

It is safe to receive more than one type of vaccine at one office visit when possible. The human body is exposed to hundreds of viruses and bacteria every day. Most vaccines will not interfere with each other, including the above vaccines. They do not seem to cause significantly greater side effects when given at one time. Spacing vaccines apart unnecessarily may cause delays in protection, more discomfort, disruption of daily schedules, and increased costs. Spacing them may also increase the opportunities for a febrile seizure to occur. On the other hand, it is important to space each vaccine dose at its recommended minimum interval, because this is the time frame proven to give the best immune response. Another issue is how many doses are needed and how many injection sites can be used at one visit. The doses and intervals recommended by CDC take these issues into account.

Any drug, vaccine, or herb can cause an allergic reaction. Symptoms of a severe reaction that requires medical attention include itching, hives (urticaria), swelling of the throat, and difficulty breathing. Severe allergic reactions occur rarely with any vaccine and happen within a few minutes to hours. Severe allergic reactions have been reported in about one per million doses.