meningitis: Symptoms, causes, complications, and treatment

Meningitis

It is an inflammation of the soft membranes around the brain and spinal cord, which can be caused by bacteria and viruses.

General information:

Bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicemia are severe diseases and need urgent antibiotic treatment. 
Amoebic meningitis is a severe and rare disease, which, unfortunately, almost always has a lethal outcome. It is caused by an amoeba that can be picked up through the nose when immersed in water with a head.
Viral meningitis is more occurred than bacterial meningitis. It does not threaten life, but it weakens the human body. The virus can be transmitted through sneezing and coughing, as well as through sewage and due to poor hygiene.

Causes

Many pathogens cause it: meningococcal (Neisseria meningitis), pneumococci, Haemophilus type b (Hib), tuberculous mycobacteria, E. coli, group B streptococcal bacteria, amoeba, viruses.
When the carrier of meningococcal coughs or sneezes, the airborne pathogen can instantly get to other people, but, fortunately, not everyone gets sick with it. You can also get infected through a kiss.

Symptoms
If you suspect it, the patient should consult a doctor or immediately hospitalize.
When vomiting occurs against the background of high fever, chills, severe headache, irritation in bright light, the rigidity of neck muscles (the patient cannot reach the chin to the neck), drowsiness and rashes on the skin, pain in the joints or muscles, seizures, urgently need medical attention help.
Meningitis and meningococcal septicemia cannot always be recognized immediately since the symptoms are very similar to influenza. The incubation period is from 2 to 10 days. Symptoms can manifest not all, and the disease can be accompanied by other symptoms, which can be misleading.
Complications 
Pneumococcal meningitis is usually associated with difficulties in the ear. 
It can lead to death (account for hours), primarily if you don't immediately seek medical help.

What can you do
If your friend has meningitis / meningococcal septicemia, consult a doctor immediately. Describe in detail the symptoms, voice your suspicions. If the local doctor is not available, go directly to the nearest hospital, because if it is meningitis or meningococcal septicemia, urgent medical assistance is urgently needed.
What can the doctor do?
To hospitalize; do a detailed examination; make a spinal puncture, the results will help determine which antibiotics will be most useful or not, prescribe antibiotics intravenously.
Preventive measures
Vaccination can prevent some forms of it. The vaccine is active for bacterial meningitis in 80% of the vaccinated and is used for only three years. The vaccine does not protect children under 18 months.