Meningitus advice

[Mamafy]

What is Meningitus?​

Meningitis and septicaemia are deadly diseases that can kill in hours.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. Septicaemia is the blood poisoning form of the disease.
Meningitis and septicaemia can cause symptoms such as a severe headache, vomiting, high fever, stiff neck and sensitivity to light. Many people (but not all) also develop a distinctive skin rash.
Symptoms can vary from person to person and can vary greatly between babies and children.

What are the causes of Meningitus?​

Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria or viruses and occasionally is due to fungal infections, although almost any microbe can cause it.
While viral meningitus can be very unpleasant it is almost never life threatening and most people quickly make a full recovery.
Meningitis and septicaemia caused by bacteria are usually more serious than other forms. There are at least 50 kinds of bacteria that can cause meningitis and septicaemia. Most cases in the UK and Ireland are caused by meningococcal bacteria.

Who is at risk?​

Anyone can get meningitis or septicaemia, but age is one of the main risk factors.
Babies are at higher risk of bacterial meningitis than any other age group.
Toddlers are also at increased risk of meningitis.
Teenagers and young adults are at risk mainly from meningicoccal diseaase.
But it is important to know that anyone can get meningitis or septicaemia at any time in your life.

What are the symptoms?​

Septicaemia ​

Fever/vomiting
Limb / joint / muscle pain
Cold hands and feet / shivering
Pale or mottled skin
Breathing fast / breathless
Rash (anywhere on the body)
Very sleepy / vacant / difficult to wake
Confused / delirious​

Meningitis​

Fever/vomiting
Severe headache
Stiff neck (Less common in young children)
Dislike of bright lights (Less common in young children)
Very sleepy / vacant / difficult to wake
Confused / delirious
Rash (anywhere on the body) (Not present in all cases)
Seizures​

It is very important to know that a rash may not always be present so careful observation of the patient is needed, but if a rash occurs do the tumbler test immediately, even if there are just a few non-blanching spots this may still be meningitus so seek medical help as soon as possible.​

If you need any further advice contact the http://www.meningitis.org/symptoms​

or Telephone:​

UK: 080 8800 3344
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: 1800 41 33 44​

 

[JD.Deedee]

Bacterial meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is very serious and should be treated as a medical emergency. If the bacterial infection is left untreated, it can cause severe brain damage and infect the blood (septicaemia).
Around 1,265 cases of meningitis were caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria in England and Wales in 2009 and 2010. The number of cases has decreased in recent years because of a successful vaccination programme that protects against many of the bacteria that can cause meningitis.
However, there is currently no vaccine to prevent meningococcal group B disease, which is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK. It is essential to know the signs and symptoms to look for and get medical help if you are worried.
Bacterial meningitis is most common in children under five years old, and in particular in babies under the age of one. It is also common among teenagers aged 15 to 19 years.
Viral meningitis

Viral meningitis is the most common and less serious type of meningitis. It is difficult to estimate the number of cases of viral meningitis because symptoms are often so mild they are mistaken for flu.
Viral meningitis is most common in children and more widespread during the summer months.

 

[Emma.b]

Just wanted to say well done to posting this. I always assumed menigitis meant there WOULD ALWAYS be a rash and most public information sources make you believe this. I found out the hard way that this is not the case after my son contracted meningitis. His first syptoms where: severe headache, occasional vomiting, fever. I gave pain meds and let him sleep he woke with the same pain and also an aversion to light and sound.

He became very poorly, spent a while in hospital and had other complications. We were lucky, i suffer with migraines and assumed he was suffering his first migraine...it was only by chance we rang NHS direct to see if there was anything else we could have give him meds wise. They requested he come in for the check up.

The entire time he was in HDU/isolation he NEVER presented with a rash "/

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