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Understanding Meningitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Lifesaving Insights
Corresponding Author(s) : Rochana Acharya, MD
The American Journal of Patient Health Info,
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025)
Abstract
- Meningitis is a life-threatening inflammation of the meninges, which is the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
- Bacterial meningitis is the most dangerous form, as it can progress rapidly, causing brain damage or even death if not treated in time.
- Meningitis can affect anyone, but certain groups, such as infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, are at higher risk.
- Vaccines like meningococcal, Hemophilus Influenza B, and pneumococcal vaccines have reduced the incidence of bacterial meningitis in many parts of the world.
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- World Health Organization. Meningitis. [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2024 Jul 25]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/meningitis
- Hersi K, Gonzalez FJ, Kondamudi NP. Meningitis. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459360/
- Thigpen MC, Whitney CG, Messonnier NE, Zell ER, Lynfield R, Hadler JL, et al. Bacterial meningitis in the United States, 1998-2007. N Engl J Med. 2011 May 26;364(21):2016-25.Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21612470/
- Oordt-Speets AM, Bolijn R, van Hoorn RC, Bhavsar A, Kyaw MH. Global etiology of bacterial meningitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE. 2018 Jun 11;13(6): e0198772.Available from: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0198772
- Mount HR, Boyle SD. Aseptic and Bacterial Meningitis: Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention. American Family Physician [Internet]. 2017 Sep 1;96(5):314–22. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28925647/
- Hall AD, Kumar JE, Golba CE, Luckett KM, Bryant WK. Primary amebic meningoencephalitis: a review of Naegleria fowleri and analysis of successfully treated cases. Parasitology Research. 2024 Jan 1;123(1). Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00436-023-08094-w
- Van de Beek D, de Gans J, Spanjaard L, Weisfelt M, Reitsma JB, Vermeulen M. Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors in Adults with Bacterial Meningitis. N Engl J Med. 2004 Oct 28;351(18):1849-59. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15509818/
- Sín R;Struncova D;Cechurova L. Clinical picture, diagnostics and treatment of bacterial meningitis. Neuro endocrinology letters [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2024 Dec 6];43(7-8). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36720125
- Sanaei Dashti A, Alizadeh S, Karimi A, Khalifeh M, Shoja SA. Diagnostic value of lactate, procalcitonin, ferritin, serum-C-reactive protein, and other biomarkers in bacterial and viral meningitis. Medicine. 2017 Sep;96(35):e7637. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28858084
- Hughes DC, Raghavan A, Mordekar SR, Griffiths PD, Connolly DJA. Role of imaging in the diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis and its complications. Postgraduate Medical Journal [Internet]. 2010 Aug 1 [cited 2019 Oct 21];86(1018):478–85. Available from: https://pmj.bmj.com/content/86/1018/478
- Wagner K, Springer B, Pires VP, Keller PM. Pathogen Identification by Multiplex LightMix Real-Time PCR Assay in Patients with Meningitis and Culture-Negative Cerebrospinal Fluid Specimens. Ledeboer NA, editor. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2017 Dec 13;56(2). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29237781
- Edmond K, Clark A, Korczak VS, Sanderson C, Griffiths UK, Rudan I. Global and regional risk of disabling sequelae from bacterial meningitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2010 May;10(5):317-28. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20417414/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Selection of antibiotics as prophylaxis for close contacts of patients with meningococcal disease in areas with ciprofloxacin resistance. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 [cited 2024 Jul 25]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Haemophilus influenzae Disease. [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Jul 25]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov
- Mbaeyi SA, Bozio CH, Duffy J, et al. Meningococcal Vaccination: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2020. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2020;69(No. RR-9):1-41. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr6909a1
References
World Health Organization. Meningitis. [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2024 Jul 25]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/meningitis
Hersi K, Gonzalez FJ, Kondamudi NP. Meningitis. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459360/
Thigpen MC, Whitney CG, Messonnier NE, Zell ER, Lynfield R, Hadler JL, et al. Bacterial meningitis in the United States, 1998-2007. N Engl J Med. 2011 May 26;364(21):2016-25.Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21612470/
Oordt-Speets AM, Bolijn R, van Hoorn RC, Bhavsar A, Kyaw MH. Global etiology of bacterial meningitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE. 2018 Jun 11;13(6): e0198772.Available from: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0198772
Mount HR, Boyle SD. Aseptic and Bacterial Meningitis: Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention. American Family Physician [Internet]. 2017 Sep 1;96(5):314–22. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28925647/
Hall AD, Kumar JE, Golba CE, Luckett KM, Bryant WK. Primary amebic meningoencephalitis: a review of Naegleria fowleri and analysis of successfully treated cases. Parasitology Research. 2024 Jan 1;123(1). Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00436-023-08094-w
Van de Beek D, de Gans J, Spanjaard L, Weisfelt M, Reitsma JB, Vermeulen M. Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors in Adults with Bacterial Meningitis. N Engl J Med. 2004 Oct 28;351(18):1849-59. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15509818/
Sín R;Struncova D;Cechurova L. Clinical picture, diagnostics and treatment of bacterial meningitis. Neuro endocrinology letters [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2024 Dec 6];43(7-8). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36720125
Sanaei Dashti A, Alizadeh S, Karimi A, Khalifeh M, Shoja SA. Diagnostic value of lactate, procalcitonin, ferritin, serum-C-reactive protein, and other biomarkers in bacterial and viral meningitis. Medicine. 2017 Sep;96(35):e7637. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28858084
Hughes DC, Raghavan A, Mordekar SR, Griffiths PD, Connolly DJA. Role of imaging in the diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis and its complications. Postgraduate Medical Journal [Internet]. 2010 Aug 1 [cited 2019 Oct 21];86(1018):478–85. Available from: https://pmj.bmj.com/content/86/1018/478
Wagner K, Springer B, Pires VP, Keller PM. Pathogen Identification by Multiplex LightMix Real-Time PCR Assay in Patients with Meningitis and Culture-Negative Cerebrospinal Fluid Specimens. Ledeboer NA, editor. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2017 Dec 13;56(2). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29237781
Edmond K, Clark A, Korczak VS, Sanderson C, Griffiths UK, Rudan I. Global and regional risk of disabling sequelae from bacterial meningitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2010 May;10(5):317-28. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20417414/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Selection of antibiotics as prophylaxis for close contacts of patients with meningococcal disease in areas with ciprofloxacin resistance. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 [cited 2024 Jul 25]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Haemophilus influenzae Disease. [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Jul 25]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov
Mbaeyi SA, Bozio CH, Duffy J, et al. Meningococcal Vaccination: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2020. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2020;69(No. RR-9):1-41. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr6909a1