Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes (meninges) covering the brain and the spinal cord, usually due to bacterial or viral infections elsewhere in body that has spread into the blood and into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Other causes of meningitis such as fungal, protozoal, or certain non-infectious etiologies are much rarer. Meningitis should be distinguished from the condition encephalitis, the latter of which is the inflammation of the brain itself. Meningitis can affect anyone in any age group, from the newborn to the elderly, although the specific cause may be different. Typical signs and symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck, photophobia, or vomiting. Although the most common cause of meningitis is viral (which may resolve within a few days without treatment), anyone suspected of having meningitis should be evaluated promptly, because bacterial meningitis can be very serious and immediate treatment is necessary.

Causes

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Infectious

• : Viruses are the most common cause of meningitis. Enterovirus accounts for the majority (75 to 90%) of all cases of viral meningitis. Specific etiologies within the family Picornaviridae and other common viral causes of aseptic meningitis includes:
  • coxsackievirus
  • echovirus
  • poliovirus
  • human enteroviruses
  • arbovirus
  • lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus
  • HIV
  • herpes simplex virus type II

Less common and rare causes of viral meningitis includes herpes simplex virus type I, varicella zoster virus, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, influenza virus A or B, parainfluenza virus, mumps, rubella, and West Nile virus.

• -: Bacterial meningitis is the most common form of purulent CNS infection with incidence in the United States >2.5/100,000/yr. Currently, the most common organisms overall responsible for community-acquired meningitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae (~50%), Neisseria meningitidis (~25%), Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococci (~15%), and Listeria monocytogenes (~10%). Haemophilus influenzae now consists of < 10% of all cases since the widespread use of the HiB vaccine. The causes can also be simplified by the age of the patient affected (most common listed first):
  • less than 3 months --- Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes
  • 3 mo to 8 yrs --- Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae
  • 18 to 50 yrs --- Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis
  • 50 yrs and older --- Streptococcus pneumoniae, Listeria monocytogenes, Gram-negative bacilli
  • Immunocompromised --- Listeria monocytogenes, Gram-negative bacilli, Cryptococcus neoformans
  • Head trauma, post-neurosurgery, CSF shunt --- Staphylococcus spp, Gram-negative bacilli, Streptococcus pneumoniae

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Bacterial Meningitis http://www.doctornutritionist.com/articles/bacterial-meningitis.html
drnutritionist (Doctor Nutritionist) Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:53:58 -0000
Bacterial Meningitis http://www.doctornutritionist.com/articles/bacterial-meningitis.html
Aseptic Meningitis http://www.doctornutritionist.com/articles/aseptic-meningitis.html
drnutritionist (Doctor Nutritionist) Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:32:04 -0000
Aseptic Meningitis http://www.doctornutritionist.com/articles/aseptic-meningitis.html
#sog martyr on 09Jul: Amir Javadifar Student of ind.management in Ghazvin. nose & arm broken. died frm untreated meningitis. #iranelection
iranangel (neda angelofiran) Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:25:36 -0000
#sog martyr on 09Jul: Amir Javadifar Student of ind.management in Ghazvin. nose & arm broken. died frm untreated meningitis. #iranelection
@audreejo One of my friends passed away yesterday from spinal meningitis. She was only 15. It's been really hard on everyone.
kendall137 (Kendall Dean !) Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:12:02 -0000
@audreejo One of my friends passed away yesterday from spinal meningitis. She was only 15. It's been really hard on everyone.
Oh, My mother has taught me well. Everytime my neck and head hurt I'm convinced it's meningitis.
sparklingpants (stacey g) Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:55:45 -0000
Oh, My mother has taught me well. Everytime my neck and head hurt I'm convinced it's meningitis.
@SmartAlyx Cochlear implants are extremely painful w/ meningitis like pain. I would wager that this was the cause of his initial addiction.
kylesellers (Kyle Sellers) Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:13:30 -0000
@SmartAlyx Cochlear implants are extremely painful w/ meningitis like pain. I would wager that this was the cause of his initial addiction.

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