The Voices of Meningitis - Preventing Meningococcal Meningitis

Meningococcal meningitis is a serious bacterial infection that causes the brain and spinal cord membranes to become swollen and inflamed. Acute bacterial meningitis is a devastating illness with an extremely rapid onset of symptoms that can lead to severe lifelong disabilities or death (often in less than 24 hours). It is the rapid decline in a healthy individual that leaves very little time for medical professionals to properly diagnose or treat the illness before death often ensues.
Meningococcal meningitis is transmitted through respiratory secretions passed from person to person in close quarters of the general population, such as classrooms, dormitories, summer camps, daycares and households. Respiratory secretions are spread via coughing, kissing, sneezing, and by sharing or touching an object the contagious person infected like a cell phone, keyboard, doorknob, or by sharing eating or drinking utensils. Frequent hand washing or the use of alcohol based hand sanitizers may help prevent spreading the bacteria that causes meningococcal meningitis in close population settings.

Bacteria Responsible for Meningitis

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prior to the 1990s the leading cause of bacterial meningitis was Haemophilus influenzae type b (also known as Hib). Then the Hib vaccine was developed and it became standard protocol in childhood immunizations. The Hib vaccination has been directly responsible for reducing meningitis related cases caused by this bacterium. Currently, the CDC acknowledges there are two main bacterium that cause bacterial meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis.
The most important step in diagnosing bacterial meningitis is to identify the bacterium responsible for the illness. This allows for the proper antibiotic therapy and medical management of the disease. In addition identifying the bacterium helps prevent the spread of the disease by allowing anyone who may have been exposed to begin the proper antibiotic therapy prior to exhibiting any of the symptoms. This is called prophylaxis treatment, which entails treating an illness before it takes hold.

Diagnosing Bacterial Meningitis

To identify the bacteria responsible for causing the meningitis a spinal tap is required. A spinal tap (also called a lumbar puncture) is a medical procedure that involves inserting a needle between the vertebrae of the lower lumbar spine in order to withdraw a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The procedure is painful. One must lie on their side and hold perfectly still while the procedure is taking place in order to prevent complications from the procedure itself.
The most common symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include a high fever, headache, and stiff neck in adults and children over two years old. Sometimes the symptoms include nausea or vomiting, confusion, and extreme fatigue or sleepiness. One classic symptom that is indicative of meningitis (when accompanied by high fever, headache and a stiff neck) is photophobia or the sensitivity to bright lights. The symptoms however in children less than two years of age have a slower inset and may include vomiting, irritability, and no desire to feed, and eventually seizures may develop.