Meningitis in adults is very difficult. Severe symptoms increase in a day from the onset of the disease. The disease is characterized by the development of an acute infectious process in the membranes of the brain, both spinal and cerebral.

Diseases are especially susceptible to people over 50 years old, and those with weakened immunity.

According to statistics, 20% of patients die from an extensive inflammatory process. Timely diagnosis of meningitis minimizes the risk of complications and speeds up the healing process.

What are the causes of meningitis and the symptoms of the disease in adults, we will consider in more detail.

The pathological process is associated with the penetration of the pathogen into the meninges. The main routes of infection transmission:

1. Airborne.
2. When eating foods that have undergone poor-quality heat treatment (fecal-oral).
3. Hematogenous (with blood flow).
4. Lymphogenous (with lymph flow).

By the nature of the causative agent, meningitis in an adult can be:

1. Viral.
2. Bacterial.
3. Fungal.

Along the course, meningitis is primary and secondary. In the first case, the disease is independent, that is, it is not a consequence of a purulent or infectious process in the body. Secondary develops after the transferred diseases, as a result of the penetration of the pathogen into the membranes of the brain with sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, abscesses and furunculosis.

Localization of the process can occur in soft, arachnoid and hard shells. It happens that the infectious process affects all layers of the lining of the brain.

Symptoms and features of the course of the disease

Viral meningitis or bacterial meningitis can be identified by a number of symptoms. Sometimes, the patient tries to drown out important signs of the disease with drugs, which fundamentally complicates the diagnosis.

In no case, if the first signs of meningitis appear in adults, you can not self-medicate. It is better to play it safe once again and seek qualified help than to regret the lost time later.

The following manifestations characteristic of this disease should alert the patient or his loved ones:

• Violent pain in the head. With meningitis, it will be of a certain nature: the head hurts constantly and the patient cannot indicate a specific location. Turning the head or tilting the trunk makes the headache worse. There is a feeling of fullness. Photophobia and pain response to sound appear.
• The patient takes a forced position. Thus, it relieves pain in the head. The man lies on his side, imitating the pose of a "cop dog", the head is thrown back, the back is bent outward, the legs are brought to the stomach. The muscles of the back of the head are very tense, an attempt to pull the head to the chest will be in vain.
• A rash on the body is one of the indicative symptoms of meningitis.
• Disruption of the digestive system. The patient suffers from nausea and vomiting. This is a sign of body intoxication due to an infectious process in the brain. Even if the person does not eat anything, vomiting will be repeated.
• High body temperature is also associated with an increasing infectious process. The temperature can rise to 40 * C, while the person is tormented by weakness, severe chills and sweating.
• The reaction to bright light causes an increase in the headache attack.
• Confusion of consciousness. The patient answers questions with a delay or does not react at all to the interlocutor. Weakness and aches, as well as the presence of infection in the lining of the brain, leads to mental disorders.
• Very often, a patient with meningitis develops a hallucinogenic syndrome, as well as bouts of aggression and apathy.
• Cramps in the arms and legs. Sometimes cramps end with involuntary urination and bowel movements.
• With damage to the optic nerves, strabismus is observed.
• Violent pain in muscles and joints.

The danger of the disease lies in the increase in symptoms during the first day of the disease. Sometimes the process of infection develops within a few hours, which ends in the death of the patient.

Why meningitis is dangerous

Any type and form of meningitis is dangerous with consequences. The purulent process is more severe than the serous one. What is viral meningitis, what is bacterial, in the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment, leads to:

• Swelling of the brain. The brain swells, dislocation of the medulla occurs. Edema can develop on the first day after the onset of the disease. In this case, it is not possible to save the patient. Death occurs on the 1st day of illness.
• Septic shock. It occurs due to the ingress of pus into the bloodstream. In a matter of hours, sepsis develops, the probability of saving the patient is minimal;
• The development of meningoencephalitis. This process occurs as a result of the penetration of infection into the cerebral cortex.
• Progressive syndrome of intracranial hypertension (occlusive hydrocephalus). In the membranes of the brain, an adhesive process develops that blocks the cerebrospinal fluid pathways.

Not a single doctor undertakes to predict the course of the disease. It happens that a very severe form does not give complications, but it happens that a mild course leads to death. In any case, the treatment of meningitis in adults is carried out in a hospital setting.

How is an infectious disease diagnosed?

If meningitis is suspected, doctors use the following diagnostic measures:

• Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (puncture). This research method is carried out only by a doctor and helps to identify the pathogen, the severity of the inflammatory process. Lumbar puncture gives a complete picture of the disease and helps to choose the right antibacterial drug, based on the sensitivity of the microorganism to the antibiotic;
• Blood biochemistry. With meningitis, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) will certainly increase. In some cases, blood is tested for sterility;
• Study of the patient's urine. This analysis helps to identify impaired kidney function and the presence of an infection in the urinary system;
• Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. This type of study helps to determine the degree of damage to the meninges;
• X-ray of the sinuses and lungs. Identifies foci of infection and the degree of damage to the respiratory system.

One of the reliable and mandatory measures is the collection of cerebrospinal fluid for research. It is the puncture that helps to identify the disease in the early stages of development.

How to treat meningitis

Therapeutic measures are carried out only in a hospital setting. You cannot take medicines before the arrival of an ambulance, and even more so, resort to the advice of traditional medicine. In no case should you apply warming compresses. This can radically aggravate the infectious process and provoke its lightning-fast development.

Upon admission to the infectious diseases department of the hospital, the patient is immediately prescribed antibiotics related to a number of macrolides, penicillins and cephalosporins. The wide spectrum of action of antibacterial drugs allows you to suppress the infectious process while the analysis is being prepared for the study of cerebrospinal fluid.

They resort to intravenous administration of drugs. If the patient's condition is extremely severe, antibiotics are injected directly into the spinal cord.

The frequency and duration of treatment with antibiotic therapy is determined by the doctor. Even if the main symptoms go away and the body temperature returns to normal, antibiotics continue to inject with a course.

In parallel, the patient is prescribed steroids. This group of drugs helps to stop the inflammatory process in the membranes of the brain.

Hormones are prescribed in order to normalize the work of the pituitary gland and suppress the infectious process.

The patient must be shown diuretics. This type of therapy is aimed at relieving swelling in the brain by removing the retained fluid from the body. In parallel with diuretics, potassium-sparing drugs are prescribed.

For the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, puncture is used. CSF collection helps to relieve pressure on the brain.

Meningitis is usually understood as an inflammatory process in the membranes of the spinal cord and brain, accompanied by an acute course. The provoking factors of the disease are fungi, pathogenic bacterial, viral microflora (tubercle bacillus, enterovirus, meningococcal infections). Diagnosis of meningitis allows you to understand the etiology of the disease, to draw up an adequate tactics of drug treatment. Symptoms may appear differently in children and adults, but they are generally grouped together into a single spectrum of clinical manifestations.

Meningitis is the most dangerous disease that affects the lining of the brain

Timely, correct treatment allows for favorable prognosis for patients. Meningitis is especially dangerous for children, but modern medicine allows you to preserve the integrity, functionality of vital organs and systems of a growing body. Very rarely transferred meningeal infection is recurrent (about 0.2% of all cases of diseases). If the course of meningitis is prolonged, and the patient does not go to the doctor, the disease can lead to irreversible consequences, for example, deafness, decreased vision (up to blindness). The disease can lead to coma and even death. The tactics of treating meningitis is determined by the results of diagnostic measures after identifying the type and nature of the infection.

1. Classification and causes of occurrence.
2. Signs of developing meningitis.
3. Diagnostic methods.
4. Indicators of pathology in laboratory studies.
5. CSF analysis.

Classification and causes of occurrence

The criteria for determining meningeal infection are reduced to several large groups:

By type of origin:

• Bacterial nature. The varieties include tuberculous, meningococcal, pneumococcal meningitis.
• Viral origin. Causative agents: enteroviruses, ECHO, arenoviruses (causative agents of acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis). Reproduction of fungal microflora. Causative agents: fungi cryptococcosis, candidiasis and similar downstream.
• Protozoal meningitis. Education is due to the transferred malaria, toxoplasmosis.

By the type of inflammation:

• purulent (pronounced predominance of neutrophils in the cerebrospinal fluid);
• serous (predominance of lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid).

Pathogenesis:

• primary infection (provided that there is no local infectious or general infectious disease of the systems or organ in the patient's clinical history);
• secondary infection (usually proceeds as a complication of the transferred disease of an infectious nature).

By localization:

• generalized meningitis (extensive forms);
• limited (local infection without spreading with adequate treatment).

The intensity of the course of meningitis:

• sudden outbreaks (lightning fast);
• sharp forms;
• chronic (recurrent) forms of meningitis.

By the severity of the course, the consequences:

• easy form;
• moderate disease;
• burdened course;
• extremely severe form.

Meningitis can be painful from young to old

The disease can occur in patients of different ages. Among the causes of occurrence in children, the following are distinguished:

• prematurity, deep prematurity;
• chickenpox, mumps (in circulation - mumps), measles, measles.

The rest of the reasons may well provoke meningitis in adults and pediatric patients with the same probability:

• enterovirus infections;
• cytomegalovirus, poliomyelitis;
• trauma to the head, cervical vertebrae, back;
• diseases of the nervous system;
• congenital pathologies of the development of the brain;
• immunodeficiency states of various etiology and genesis.

The main mode of transmission of bacterial meningitis is lack of personal hygiene (disease of dirty hands), contaminated water, food.

Signs of developing meningitis

Clinical symptoms of meningitis

Meningitis symptoms usually develop rapidly. Doctors observe a sharp increase in body temperature, damage to the central nervous system, signs of extensive intoxication of the body. All signs are clearly expressed in a febrile state, general malaise, decreased appetite, abdominal pain of unclear localization, joint and muscle pain, indigestion (thinning of the stool, regular vomiting, feeling of nausea). The patient is stunned, drowsiness, confusion appears.

Already in the first days, a headache is noted, meningeal signs are the primary signs of meningeal syndrome. Blood tests show an excess of leukocyte counts. The pains in the head are of a growing, unbearable character, their localization is extensive, covering the entire head. The slightest sources of light and sound become unbearable. When you change the position of the body, the pain in the head only becomes stronger. Concomitant symptoms are the addition of convulsive syndrome, hallucinations, delirium, signs of acute respiratory infections. Palpation of the head in infants reveals a pronounced bulging of fontanelles.

The following signs become pronounced symptoms of meningitis during the initial examination of the patient:

• Kernig's symptom. The symptom is expressed as follows: the patient lies on his back, his legs in the knee and hip joints are passively bent, forming an angle of about 90 °. An attempt to straighten the leg at the knee becomes impossible as a result of a reflex increase in the tone of the muscles responsible for flexion of the lower leg. With meningitis, this symptom is positive on both sides. The symptom may be negative if the patient has a history of hemiparesis on the side of paresis.

Checking Kernig's symptom

• Brudzinsky's symptom. The position of the patient is on the back. If the patient tilts his head to the chest, then reflex flexion of the knee joints is noted.

With the right treatment, the prognosis for adult patients is much better than for young children. In children, against the background of untimely cured meningitis, persistent hearing and developmental disorders appear.

Diagnostic methods

Differential diagnosis of meningitis is a set of methods for identifying the nature of meningitis by their nature and signs (analyzes, instrumental, computer research). Diagnostic measures for meningitis have a strict algorithm, which is followed by all doctors without exception:

• Collection of biological materials (general urine and sterility analysis, detailed blood test for urea, creatinine and electrolytes).
• Blood glucose test.
• Swabs for pathogenic microflora from the nasal cavity and pharynx.
• Coagulogram (blood clotting indicators) and PTI (prothrombin index, which allows to assess the likelihood of bleeding).
• Blood test for HIV.
• Liver samples (biochemistry of liver function or puncture, which is performed according to special indications).
• Blood test for sterility and blood culture development.
• Blood test for serological parameters.
• Examination of the fundus by an ophthalmologist for vasoconstriction.
• CSF (pressure indicators, biochemical analysis, bacteriological culture, bacterioscopy).

Lumbar puncture

• CT (computed tomography), NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance at a certain frequency), EEG (brain electroencephalogram), EchoEG (brain echoencephalography), ECG.
• X-ray of the skull.
• Examination by narrow specialists (endocrinologist, ENT, neurologist).

According to analyzes in children, doctors first of all exclude viral meningitis or meningococcal infection. In adult patients, it becomes possible to check and rule out tick-borne meningoencephalitis, the course of a fungal or meningococcal infection. A doctor's examination, methods of laboratory and instrumental research usually accurately recognize the meningeal syndrome at the very beginning of its development, therefore, additional research methods are a rare measure.

Indicators of pathology in laboratory research

• Blood test. Usually, blood is taken for culture and biochemical parameters. Blood cultures in patients with meningitis are always positive and can detect pneumococci, meningococci. An increase in the level of leukocytes in the blood is also natural. Leukocytes are the main indicator of the course of any infection in the human body. According to the study, the shift of the leukocyte formula to the left is determined. Indicators of urea, creatinine and serum electrolytes determine inadequate (disturbed) production of the hormone ADH (antidiuretic hormone), which leads to a state of hyponatremia.

Blood test

• Crops from the nose, throat, ear. Such crops often carry controversial results. The results are sometimes erroneous, but, meanwhile, they carry a lot of information due to the entry of meningococci into the microflora of ENT organs. If the patient has a discharge of pus from the middle ear, then it is advisable to take the discharge for a thorough examination.
• Analysis of urine by the laboratory method often reliably determines the high content of protein, blood impurities.
• Biochemical liver test. The analysis determines the function of the liver, helps in the differential diagnosis of its pathological changes, including inflammatory processes. Meningitis disrupts carbohydrate metabolism in the body, so the liver suffers.

The totality of all laboratory parameters serves as a direct basis for an accurate diagnosis. Additional methods are X-ray studies, which allow a more extensive picture of the development and course of meningeal infection.

CSF analysis

The main diagnostic method for meningeal syndrome is the study of cerebrospinal fluid, carried out by lumbar puncture. The procedure is performed by piercing the meninges of the spinal cord between those lumbar vertebrae, where there are already only spinal roots. The procedure is safe, does not cause any harm, does not leave any consequences for children and adults. The collection of cerebrospinal fluid not only allows you to accurately diagnose the nature of meningitis, but also significantly alleviate the patient's condition. The cause of severe headaches is precisely the increase in intracranial pressure.

With meningitis, pathological changes are found in the cerebrospinal fluid

CSF (otherwise, cerebrospinal fluid - in the abbreviation CSF) is a biological fluid that determines the adequate functioning of the entire central nervous system. The main stages of the study of cerebrospinal fluid are distinguished:

• preanalytical (patient preparation, collection of information from the clinical history, material sampling);
• analytical (CSF research);
• post-analytical (decoding of research data).

Cerebrospinal fluid analysis steps:

• determination of physical / chemical properties (classification by volume, color, characteristic features);
• obtaining data on the total number of cells;
• microscopic examination of the native preparation, cytology of the stained preparation;
• detailed analysis for biochemical components;
• microbiological examination (if there are special instructions).

The cerebrospinal fluid normally has high transparency without a pronounced color. With pathological changes, the fluid and its composition change:

Normally, the cerebrospinal fluid should be transparent.

• Density change. The density norm is 1.006 - 1.007. If an acute inflammatory process occurs in the body, then the density of the cerebrospinal fluid naturally rises to 1.015. The indicators become lower if the density is formed against the background of the course of hydrocephalus.
• The content of fibrinogen (a colorless protein in the plasma composition of the blood). The indicator is typical for the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis and manifests itself in the form of a thick lump or fibrinous film. To confirm the formation of a film on the surface of the liquid, the test tube with the material is stored at room temperature for 24 hours.
• Indicators of protein, glucose, chloride and other biochemical data to provide a more accurate picture of the disease.

With the removal of excess content, intracranial pressure returns to normal, and the pain subside over time.

In the case when the diagnosis is in doubt, it is additionally confirmed or refuted by means of computed tomography or examination on a magnetic resonance imaging machine.

Prevention of meningitis is divided into specific and non-specific

Meningitis is a rare but severe complication of viral and bacterial diseases. Preventive measures include basic rules for protecting your own health from colds, flu outbreaks and epidemics. Don't underestimate the severity of the effects of meningitis. In addition to serious complications, the disease can take the patient's life. Timely treatment of many diseases and the subsequent protective regime will allow you to maintain both health and prevent relapse of concomitant complications in the form of meningitis.

Is an inflammatory process that occurs in the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. In this case, distinguish pachymeningitis (inflammation of the dura mater) and meningitis (inflammation of the soft and arachnoid membranes of the brain).

According to experts, more often diagnosed cases of inflammation of the pia mater, which is usually denoted by the term "meningitis". The causative agents of this disease are a variety of pathogenic microorganisms: viruses, protozoa, bacteria. Most often, children and adolescents, as well as elderly people, get sick with meningitis. Serous meningitis most commonly affects preschool children. Viral meningitis has milder symptoms and course than bacterial meningitis.

Types of meningitis

According to the nature of inflammation in the membranes, as well as changes in the cerebrospinal fluid, meningitis is divided into two types: serous meningitis and purulent meningitis ... At the same time, the predominance in the cerebrospinal fluid is characteristic of serous meningitis, and the presence of a greater amount neutrophils - for purulent meningitis.

Also meningitis is divided into primary and secondary ... Primary meningitis occurs without the presence of infectious diseases in the patient's body, and the secondary one manifests itself as a complication of both a general infection and an infectious disease of a particular organ.

If you track the prevalence of the inflammatory process in the meninges, then meningitis is divided into a disease of a generalized and limited nature. So, basal meningitis arises at the base of the brain, convexital meningitis - on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

Depending on the speed of the onset and further progression of the disease, meningitis is divided into fulminant , acute (sluggish ), subacute , chronic .

According to etiology, distinguish viral meningitis , bacterial , fungal , protozoal meningitis .

The clinical picture of meningitis

Diseases that have become chronic ( sarcomatosis , , toxoplasmosis , leptospirosis , , etc.), can serve as a kind of impetus for the development of meningitis.

Infection of the meninges of the brain can occur by hematogenous, perineural, lymphogenous, transplacental methods. But mostly the transmission of meningitis is carried out by airborne droplets or by contact. With the contact method of infection, pathogens can enter the brain membranes due to the presence of a purulent infection of the middle ear, paranasal sinuses, the presence of dental pathologies, etc. The mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, bronchi, and gastrointestinal tract acts as an entrance gate for infection in meningitis. Getting into the body in this way, the pathogen spreads by the lymphogenous or hematogenous route to the membranes of the brain. The clinical manifestations of meningitis are accompanied by the presence of an inflammatory process in the meninges and adjacent cerebral tissue, and microcirculation disorders in the cerebral vessels. Due to too strong secretion of cerebrospinal fluid and its slow resorption, the normal level may be disrupted and dropsy of the brain appear.

The manifestation of pathological changes in purulent meningitis, which is acute, does not depend on the pathogen. After the pathogen enters the lining of the brain through the lymph or blood, the inflammatory process affects the entire subarachnoid space of the brain and spinal cord. If the area of \u200b\u200binfection has a clear localization, then the purulent inflammatory process may be limited.

When infected, there is swelling of the membranes and brain matter. Sometimes there is a flattening of the cerebral gyri due to the presence of an internal ... In patients with serous viral meningitis, edema of the membranes and brain matter is observed, while the liquor spaces expand.

Meningitis symptoms

Regardless of what the etiology of the disease is, the symptoms of meningitis are usually similar in different forms of the disease.

So, the symptoms of meningitis fail with general infectious signs: the patient has a feeling of chills, fever, fever, signs of inflammation in the peripheral blood (increase, presence leukocytosis ). In some cases, skin rashes may appear. In the early stages of meningitis, the patient may experience a slow heart rate. Not during the development of meningitis, this symptom replaces. In humans, the rhythm of breathing is disturbed and increased.

As a meningeal syndrome, nausea and vomiting, fear of light, skin hyperesthesia, the presence of stiffness of the cervical muscles and other signs are manifested. In this case, the symptoms of meningitis first appear as a headache, which becomes more intense as the disease progresses. The manifestation of a headache provokes irritation of pain receptors in the membranes of the brain and in the vessels due to the development of inflammation, exposure to toxins and an increase in intracranial pressure. The nature of the pain is bursting, the pain can be very intense. In this case, the pain can be localized in the forehead and in the occipital region, giving it to the neck and spine, even sometimes affecting the limbs. Even at the very beginning of the disease, the patient may experience vomiting and nausea, while these phenomena are not associated with food. Meningitis in children, and in more rare cases in adult patients, can manifest as seizures, delirium, and psychomotor agitation. But in the process of further development of the disease, these phenomena are replaced by a general stupor and. In the later stages of the disease, these phenomena sometimes turn into a coma.

Due to irritation of the membranes of the brain, reflex muscle tension is observed. Most often the patient has kernig's symptom and a stiff neck. If the patient's ailment is severe, then other signs of meningitis appear. So, the patient throws back his head, draws in the stomach, straining the anterior abdominal wall. In this case, in the prone position, the legs will be drawn to the stomach (the so-called meningeal position). In some cases, the patient shows zygomatic ankylosing spondylitis , severe soreness of the eyeballs, which manifests itself after pressure or when moving the eyes. The patient does not react well to loud noise, loud sounds, and strong odors. Best of all, in this state, a person feels himself lying in a dark room without movement and with his eyes closed.

Meningitis in infants is manifested by tension and protrusion of the fontanel, as well as the presence of a symptom of "hanging" Lesage.

With meningitis, manifestations of venous hyperemia, edema of the optic nerve head are possible. If the disease is severe, then signs of meningitis may be dilated pupils, diplopia, ... It is difficult for a person to swallow, paralysis of the limbs, poor coordination of movements, and the presence of tremors are possible. These symptoms of meningitis indicate damage to both the membranes and the substance of the brain. This is possible at the last stage of the disease.

Bacterial meningitis usually begins acutely with severe meningeal symptoms. Slower development is characteristic only for tuberculous meningitis ... In most cases of bacterial meningitis, sugar levels are low and protein levels are high.

In older adults, meningitis may be atypical. So, headaches may be absent or slightly manifested, but at the same time trembling of hands, legs, head is observed. Drowsiness is present.

Diagnosis of meningitis

Typically, the diagnosis of meningitis is made based on the presence of three signs of meningitis:

- the presence of a general infectious syndrome;
- the presence of a meningeal syndrome;
- changes of an inflammatory nature in the cerebrospinal fluid.

At the same time, it is impossible to diagnose meningitis, guided by the presence of only one of the named syndromes. For the correct diagnosis, the results of a number of virological, bacteriological research methods are important. Meningitis is also diagnosed by visual examination of the cerebrospinal fluid. In this case, the specialist must take into account the general epidemiological situation and the features of the clinical picture.

Patients who show signs of meninges irritation should undergo a lumbar puncture. During this procedure, cerebrospinal fluid is taken for further examination using a thin needle that is inserted in the lower back. The current state is also determined , the presence of a large number of cells ( pleocytosis ), as well as how much their composition has changed. Special tests are also used to distinguish between bacterial and viral meningitis.

Meningitis treatment

When treating meningitis, it is very important, first of all, to determine which pathogen triggered the development of the disease. However, this disease should be treated exclusively in a hospital setting. Viral meningitis, as a rule, is relatively easy, so the patient is strongly advised to drink plenty of fluids in order to prevent dehydration of the body. For the treatment of meningitis, analgesics, antipyretic drugs are used. Basically, a person recovers in about two weeks.

With bacterial meningitis, especially if it is provoked, treatment should be prescribed and carried out very urgently. If a patient is diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, then mainly antibiotics of a wide profile are used for treatment. The most commonly used drug for this form of the disease is ... According to researchers, this agent can destroy about 90% of the pathogens of meningitis. Also, immediate treatment with penicillin is prescribed for patients diagnosed with purulent meningitis.

Also, for the treatment of meningitis in children and adults, drugs are used that can reduce intracranial pressure, drugs with antipyretic effects. Often, in complex therapy, nootropic drugs are also prescribed, , drugs that stimulate the activity of cerebral blood flow.

It is important to consider that if adults who have recovered from meningitis do not always need constant further monitoring by doctors, then meningitis in children is a reason to regularly visit a doctor after a complete recovery.

For patients who are in the recovery stage, it is important to avoid strong physical and emotional stress, not to be in direct sunlight for too long, not to drink a lot of fluids and try to consume as little salt as possible. Alcohol should be avoided altogether.

The doctors

Medicines

Prevention of meningitis

To date, vaccination against certain pathogens of meningitis (vaccine against pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae) is successfully used. It is important to take into account that vaccination gives a rather tangible effect in terms of protection against meningitis, but does not guarantee one hundred percent prevention of infection. However, even after contracting the disease, the person who was vaccinated will get meningitis in a much milder form. After vaccination valid for three years.

It is important to adhere to the basic rules of everyday hygiene as methods for the prevention of meningitis. It is important to pay special attention to regular washing of hands; personal items (lipstick, dishes, toothbrush, etc.) should not be given for use by strangers. In case of close contact with a patient with meningitis, it is important to see a doctor immediately. A specialist may prescribe certain medications for prevention purposes.

Complications of meningitis

Brain damage can occur in humans as a result of bacterial meningitis. So, the most severe complications of this ailment are deafness, mental retardation with meningitis in children. If you do not start the correct and timely treatment of meningitis, the disease can cause death. In especially severe cases, death occurs in a matter of hours.

List of sources

• E. I. Gusev, G. S. Burd, A. N. Konovalov. Neurology and neurosurgery. - 2000.
• Lobzin Yu.V., Pilipenko V.V., Gromyko Yu.N. Menigitis and encephalitis. SPb .: Foliant, 2001.
• Khaitov R.M., Ignatieva G.A., Sidorovich I.G. Immunology. - M .: Medicine, 2001.
• Lobzina Yu.V., Kazantseva A.P. Guidelines for Infectious Diseases. - SPb .: Kometa, 1996.

"Don't go without a hat - you'll get meningitis!" Who of us did not have to listen to such "horror stories" in childhood. In fact, the mechanism of infection with this disease is much more complicated and only a warm hat cannot be protected from it. Let's say more: you can get meningitis even in summer at sea, and massive outbreaks of this disease occur more often in tropical countries than in regions with a harsh climate.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges that is fatal in 10% of cases. The human brain and spinal cord consists of three membranes: soft, arachnoid and hard. If an inflammatory process begins in any of them (or in all of them at once), they speak of meningitis. Inflammation in the dura mater is called pachymeningitis. With leptomeningitis, the soft and arachnoid membranes are affected, and panmeningitis is an inflammatory process in all three layers. But most often, doctors diagnose inflammation in the soft membranes of the brain.

Thus, everyone should know how and why meningitis appears, whether it is contagious, whether it is possible to get it again and who is most susceptible to inflammation of the meninges.

Types of meningitis

It is believed that the first symptoms of meningitis were described by Hippocrates, and then by medieval healers. So mankind has known about this disease for a very long time. But for many years, tuberculosis and consumption were mistakenly believed to be the cause of inflammation of the meninges, and before the discovery of antibiotics, 95 out of 100 patients died from meningitis. Nowadays, treating meningitis is also difficult, but thanks to modern knowledge, the survival rate is much higher than it was several centuries ago.

However, for the therapy to be effective, you first need to understand what type of meningitis you will have to fight. And this disease is very "multifaceted" in origin and nature, therefore, in the international classification of diseases (ICD 10), each variety has its own code and definition, and experts use different methods to systematize the disease.

By the nature of inflammation, meningitis is:

• purulent;
• serous.

In the first case, the disease is caused by meningococcal bacteria, is very difficult, and is due to the primary septic process. The second type is of viral origin. This variety is considered not as dangerous as purulent and less likely to cause complications.

By origin, meningitis is divided into:

• primary (independent disease);
• secondary (appears as a complication of sinusitis, otitis media, respiratory infections, osteomyelitis of the skull bones, carious processes, boils on the face or neck, tonsillitis, sometimes occurs against the background of diseases such as tuberculosis, mumps, syphilis).

Pathogen classification:

• bacterial;
• fungal;
• viral;
• protozoal;
• mixed.

By the nature of the flow:

• lightning fast (fulminant);
• acute;
• subacute;
• chronic;
• recurrent.

By localization of inflammation:

• total;
• basal (affects the deepest parts of the brain);
• spinal (affects the spinal cord);
• convexital (affects the superficial of the brain).

By the severity of the course:

• mild degree;
• moderately heavy;
• heavy.

In addition, there is also non-infectious meningitis. This is a type of aseptic meningitis, which is a disease caused by any cause other than bacteria, which usually causes acute meningitis - non-communicable diseases, drugs, or vaccines. In general, these causes of meningitis are uncommon. Most often, doctors diagnose cases of viral, bacterial, secondary purulent and fungal meningitis. Moreover, the bacterial (meningococcal) type of the disease is more common among children under 5 years old, and the fungal one is among pregnant women, patients after chemotherapy, as well as patients with acquired immunodeficiency. Bacterial, aka purulent, meningitis can affect even babies up to a year, and viral (serous) in children usually appears after mumps or because of, ECHO. The viral form is not as terrible for children as the purulent one, since it is easier to treat and causes complications less often.

Causes of infection

In many clinical cases, meningitis manifests itself as a seasonal disease. But contrary to popular belief, hypothermia cannot be considered its main cause. Statistics indicate that more cases of infection occur in the warm season, as well as in countries with temperate climates. Nevertheless, experts also record outbreaks in the spread of the disease in the off-season. This is facilitated by several factors at once: an increase in humidity and a decrease in air temperature outside, seasonal hypovitaminosis, as well as a longer stay in poorly ventilated rooms. Not so long ago, scientists noticed another cyclical pattern: every 10-15 years in the world there is an epidemic of meningitis. For example, in 2017, an epidemic of serous meningitis was recorded in Russia, caused by the ECHO30 enterovirus, which came from China.

The most susceptible to the disease are people with weakened immunity, children under 5 years of age (their immune system is still developing, and the blood-brain barrier is characterized by increased permeability). If we analyze the prevalence of the disease between the sexes, then more cases of inflammation in the brain are diagnosed among men (more often at the age of 20-30). Also at risk are pregnant women with diabetes, gastrointestinal ulcers, AIDS, chronic fatigue or people who are malnourished. In the countries of the so-called "third world", the prevalence of meningitis is almost 40 times higher than the European average. It is also interesting that in Europe and Russia, the disease of bacterial etiology occurs about 3 times less often than viral. The main reason for this, doctors say, is vaccination, which can prevent the bacterial form of the disease. The body after vaccination, faced with the causative agent of the disease, will independently protect itself from it.

To protect yourself, first of all, you need to understand that meningitis is a contagious disease. Depending on the species, it can be transmitted in different ways:

• airborne droplets (through saliva particles during coughing and sneezing);
• fecal-oral (through unwashed hands, fruits and vegetables, contaminated water);
• blood contact (through blood);
• lymphogenous (through lymphatic fluid);
• placental (from pregnant women to the fetus);
• water (when swimming in open water bodies or pools);
• contact and household (through household items, dishes, toys);
• through insect bites (mainly in African countries).

In babies under 1 year old, meningitis can be caused by the same reasons as in adults or have other reasons. For example, be the result of birth trauma, prematurity, damage to the brain or spinal cord, sepsis, disease of the middle ear or nasopharynx. If a woman has had meningitis during pregnancy, the risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus is very high, and this can lead to impaired development of the child. In most cases, meningitis during pregnancy ends in spontaneous abortion or intrauterine fetal death. But even if the fetus survives, doctors usually advise women to terminate their current pregnancy.

Options for the course of meningitis

The most dangerous meningitis is for children under 5 years of age. Sadly, every 20 babies diagnosed with inflammation of the meninges die. The most dangerous form of infant meningitis is the illness caused by streptococcal infection. Infection usually occurs during the passage of the baby through the birth canal of the mother. In this case, the disease develops with lightning speed and the child either dies within the first month of life, or suffers from serious developmental disorders. A complicated form of meningitis is no less dangerous for babies. And already at the age of 1 to 5 years, children are more likely to suffer from viral meningitis, which usually goes away more easily than bacterial.

The course of the disease consists of three periods: incubation, prodromal and the actual disease. The incubation period is the time from the moment the virus enters the body until the first symptoms of the disease appear. At this time, viruses or bacteria are present in the body in small quantities, and therefore cause almost imperceptible harm. Depending on the type of disease, the incubation period can last from several minutes (rapid development) to several years (chronic inflammation). The duration of the incubation period also depends on the state of the patient's immune system: the weaker it is, the faster the disease manifests itself. Most often, the incubation period lasts from 1 to 10 days. If the disease was diagnosed in the first two days after infection, then the chances of a cure reach 95%.

Fulminant, or fulminant form of meningitis is the most dangerous. With this form, all stages of the disease pass almost instantly, and already on the first day, a lethal outcome is possible. Acute meningitis also proceeds according to an "accelerated" program: as a rule, the infection takes 3 days to reach its peak or even cause the death of the patient.

Purulent meningitis into the prodromal stage (the time when the classic symptoms of the disease appear) can pass within a few hours after the bacteria enter the body. Acute bacterial inflammation progresses very rapidly. If the illness was caused by Neisseria meningitidis, then the patient may die within a few hours after infection. Against the background of this type of disease, bilateral hemorrhagic adrenal infarction is possible (Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome). Haemophilus influenzae, or hemophilic meningitis, is more common in countries that do not vaccinate against hemophilia.

If we are talking about the acute period of the disease, then it usually develops from several days to several weeks, and chronic meningitis manifests itself no earlier than 4 weeks after infection. In addition, if most forms of inflammation in the brain proceed fairly quickly, then chronic meningitis can drag on for even more than 25 years. In this case, the disease develops gradually, and it is almost impossible to determine when the infection has entered the body.

Sometimes the inflammation of the meninges returns even after successful treatment. Relapse can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or non-infectious factors. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (Mollare meningitis) is the most common cause of recurrent illness. Bacterial meningitis can recur due to congenital or acquired defects in the base of the skull or spine.

Symptoms

The insidiousness of meningitis is in its rapid development. Medicine knows cases when death occurred just a few hours after the onset of the acute period of the disease. In the classic version, the incubation stage of meningitis in most cases lasts from 4 days to a week. If the disease is recognized in time, the patient will have a chance of a cure. And for this you need to know the first symptoms of the disease. However, in most cases, the symptoms accompanying the onset of meningitis are not perceived by the patient as an alarming signal, the disease manifests itself as general infectious signs: the patient has a feeling of chills, fever, fever, in some cases, skin rashes may appear.

The main symptom of meningitis is headache, which becomes more intense as the disease progresses. The nature of the pain is bursting, the pain can be very intense. At the same time, pain can be localized in the forehead and in the occipital region, giving it to the neck and spine. Bursting pain is associated with an increase in intracranial pressure as a result of the action of toxins of the pathogen. The pain syndrome increases with head movements, as well as due to loud sounds and bright lights. Another sign that is important for differentiating the nature of headache is the stiffness (strong tension) of the occipital muscles. Patients with meningitis (adults and children) do not lie in their usual supine position. To ease the pain, they turn on their side, pull their knees to their stomach, and instinctively tilt their head back.

Inflammation of the lining of the brain in many cases is accompanied by nausea and severe vomiting. Moreover, the gag reflex does not stop even with a complete refusal of food. In addition, the patient's body temperature rises (irregularly or stays at a stable high of 39-40 degrees) and does not get confused by traditional antipyretic drugs, there is severe weakness and sweating. The patient complains of intolerance to bright light, which increases the headache. It is also possible to suspect the presence of meningitis in cases where a bursting headache is accompanied by a disturbance of consciousness (a person slowly and with difficulty answers questions or does not react at all). Mental disorders that indicate inflammation of the lining of the brain may manifest as hallucinations, apathy, or aggression. The patient may have leg and / or arm cramps, muscle pain, strabismus (if the inflammation has spread to the optic nerves).

In addition to the classic ones, specific signs will help to recognize meningitis in young children: Kernig's symptom and Brudzinsky's upper symptom. In the first case, the child in the supine position with raised legs will not be able to straighten them in the knee joints. The second symptom is also determined while lying down. If the baby, raising his head, involuntarily bends the legs at the knees, this may also indicate inflammation in the meninges. To identify the disease in infants, the fontanelle is examined: an alarm signal is its swelling and tension. Another sign of inflammation of the meninges in children is a rash, which is then replaced by specific bright burgundy spots that appear all over the baby's body.

Diagnostics

An experienced physician can suspect meningitis in a patient by external clinical signs. But it is too early to make an accurate diagnosis based on symptoms alone. Moreover, it is important not only to confirm or deny the presence of the disease, but also to determine its type, stage of development. For this, the patient will have to undergo a comprehensive examination. Patients in such cases donate blood for a general analysis (CBC), a general urinalysis and a smear from the pharyngeal mucosa. One of the main confirmatory tests is spinal cord puncture and laboratory diagnosis of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). Since the brain and spinal cord are in constant contact, opaque CSF is always considered as the main marker of meningitis.

If during the puncture there are signs of increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure (cerebrospinal fluid flows out in a trickle or in frequent drops), experts regard this as one of the laboratory signs of meningitis. In addition, the color of the cerebrospinal fluid changes in a sick person: it becomes cloudy white or yellowish green. The disease can also tell not only the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, but also a blood test. In the presence of the disease, an increased number of lymphocytes or neutrophils is observed. Also, the patient usually has high sugar and chloride levels.

Differential diagnosis of the disease is based on biochemical analysis of the cellular composition of the cerebrospinal fluid. To establish the causative agent of the disease, they resort to bacteriological and bacterioscopic examination of the cerebrospinal fluid to determine the causative agent of the disease. With the help of serodiagnostics, the presence in the patient's body of antigens and antibodies to various pathogens is determined.

The results of the blood test will reveal neutrophilia or lymphocytosis, which speaks of the nature of the disease, as well as the ESR indicator - the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which in high values \u200b\u200bindicates the presence of an inflammatory process. In addition to the laboratory study of cerebrospinal fluid and blood, the doctor will definitely need the patient's medical history, he will conduct a thorough neurological examination, offer to undergo a computed or magnetic resonance imaging. With the help of an MRI or CT scan, a specialist will be able to examine the state of the meninges and find a focus of inflammation. During a conversation with a patient, the doctor will ask how long ago the headaches began, whether the patient was bitten by ticks or mosquitoes (carriers of the pathogen, in particular in Africa and Central Asia).

If suspicions of meningitis were found in a child, then before sending the baby for a puncture, he should be examined by an ENT, neurologist, neurosurgeon and hematologist, in order to exclude other possible causes of ailment.

Treatment

Any inflammatory processes in the body are very serious. And if the inflammation occurs in the brain, then there can be no question of any self-medication at home. Neither folk methods nor alternative medicine can replace the necessary drug therapy. Meningitis should only be treated by a doctor and only in a hospital. The faster a patient seeks help from a specialist, the higher his chances of survival.

The doctor can draw up a comprehensive treatment program only after receiving the results of the patient's examinations. Meanwhile, in the case of meningitis, when hours are counted, not a minute can be lost. As an emergency, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed for all patients with suspected meningitis. At the beginning of treatment, the doctor may prescribe drugs from the group of penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides. This will kill the bacteria that cause purulent meningitis. For antibiotics to work immediately, the drug is usually given intravenously (IV), and in very severe cases, directly into the cerebrospinal fluid. Serous meningitis is treated with the additional use of antiviral drugs. In addition to specific antibacterial or antiviral therapy selected for sensitivity, patients are prescribed nootropic and vascular drugs - Nootropil, Piracetam or their analogues are taken to restore nerve cells and vascular condition. As anti-inflammatory drugs, doctors give patients hormone therapy with drugs such as Prednisolone, Dexamethasone, Methylprednisolone, or Hydrocortisone.

Diuretic therapy is also used in the treatment regimen for meningitis. Diuretic medicines are essential to relieve cerebral edema.

Regardless of the form and stage of meningitis, vitamins and minerals are always prescribed for children and adults. These substances are necessary to maintain immunity, which is always reduced during inflammation of the brain, as well as to restore the reserves of nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the patient's systems and organs.

Prevention

The question of whether meningitis can be contracted is of interest to many. But other problems are no less relevant: how to protect yourself from illness and are there vaccinations against brain inflammation? Meningitis is a contagious disease. But even if surrounded by a child or an adult there is a patient with inflammation of the meninges, one should not take this fact as a sentence of imminent infection. Meanwhile, protection should be taken care of in advance.

One of the most effective measures to prevent bacterial meningitis is vaccination against pathogens. Nowadays there are three types of meningitis vaccines: protein, polysaccharide and conjugated. In each group of vaccines, there are drugs that are most suitable for different age categories. What vaccine to choose for an adult or a child, how often to get vaccinated - this should be determined by the attending physician.

Vaccination is, if not 100 percent, but still a good guarantee that a healthy person will not get infected.

To protect yourself or your child from contracting viral meningitis, it is also important to follow the rules of hygiene and SanPiN, eat only clean fruits and vegetables, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before each meal. The most common source of meningitis infection in the summer is contaminated water bodies. To protect yourself from problems, it is important to avoid bathing and even more so not to drink water from them.

An excellent prevention of meningitis is avoiding contact with an infected person. But if this has already happened, you should undergo a course of chemoprophylaxis. Also, it is mandatory to disinfect the room where the patient was, and monitor contact persons. If contact with a carrier of the infection is unavoidable (for example, someone from the household is ill), respirators or gauze dressings should be used to prevent infection by airborne droplets. Remember: first, the infection enters the upper respiratory tract of a person, settling on the mucous membranes, and then spreads throughout the body. But infection by airborne droplets does not always occur, but only in cases of reduced immunity and impaired functionality of the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from harmful substances. To prevent infection, family members are prescribed a course of rifampicin and a vaccine using a conjugate vaccine. By the way, many are interested in whether it is possible to get meningitis again. As a rule, this does not happen, but the possibility cannot be completely ruled out either.

If meningitis is diagnosed on time and the treatment is successful, the person has a chance to live a long, fulfilling life. But for everything to be exactly like this, after the completion of treatment in the hospital, you will have to follow the doctor's recommendations.

After suffering meningitis, it is important to continue monitoring with a doctor: it is important to be examined by a neurologist every three months. And so on for at least 2 years. In addition, some restrictions are temporarily imposed on the regime and way of life. For at least 6 months after illness, it is forbidden to fly an airplane. The flight during this period is dangerous because intracranial pressure changes sharply during the flight, which can negatively affect the recovery of CSF dynamics after the transferred inflammation of the meninges. Also, doctors do not advise immediately after an illness to go to the sea, especially for children. The temporary ban also applies to sports: after an illness for about 2 years, heavy physical exertion should be avoided.

You will also have to reconsider your usual diet: give up fatty and fried in favor of boiled, stewed, baked or steamed. From meat, give preference to dietary varieties: poultry, as well as fish. It is useful to eat boiled cereals as a side dish, and heat the fruits and vegetables before use. It is useful to eat low-fat dairy food, from drinks it is best suited and, if - then weak. Diet after meningitis completely eliminates alcohol.

Physiotherapy during the rehabilitation period should consist of a course of massage, electrophoresis with the use of drugs. To restore cognitive functions and coordination, they resort to magnetic and magnetic laser therapy, use electrosleep. A course of physiotherapy exercises will help restore motor function. But for this you need to do it under the supervision of a specialist in exercise therapy. Occupational therapy is used to restore range of motion, strength, and coordination, and a cognitive program is needed to restore memory, attention and logical thinking.

Possible complications

In itself, inflammation of the meninges is a serious problem. But against the background of this disease, other, no less complex complications are possible.

One of the most common is cerebral edema. As a rule, a critical excess of liquor fluid accumulates on the second day of the development of the disease. A complication can be suspected by several external signs. The patient suddenly loses consciousness, he has shortness of breath, blood pressure indicators are sharply reduced, then increased. There are also jumps in the heart rate: from severe bradycardia (slow) to tachycardia (rapid). If the cerebral edema is not removed in time, then a lethal outcome is possible, which usually occurs due to paralysis of the respiratory center.

The second common danger is toxic shock. It occurs as a result of poisoning the body with decay products of pathogens. Against the background of this process, the patient's body temperature usually drops, but intolerance to light and loud sounds increases, and shortness of breath appears. In many cases, infectious toxic shock occurs along with cerebral edema. The result is a coma and death within a few hours.

After suffering from meningitis, the body will need time to recover. Sometimes quite long. If the inflammatory process was caused by a meningococcal infection, then there is a high risk of damage to other organs or entire body systems. Only timely seeking medical help will prevent serious consequences.

Meningitis can cause deafness, paralysis, epilepsy, and hormonal disorders. Children may have hydrocephalus, complete deafness or blindness, acute renal failure, developmental delays, cerebroasthenia. Often, inflammation of the membranes of the brain in babies ends in death.

We answer your questions

Do they take to the army after meningitis

The question of whether they are taking into the army with meningitis interests many. We must say right away that no one will be taken to the barracks directly with illness, since with any inflammation (especially of the meninges), one should lie in the hospital. Those who work with a diagnosis of meningitis are unconditionally granted sick leave. If cases of the disease are recorded at a school or kindergarten, then the educational institution is closed for quarantine. But what will happen to a young man who suffered from meningitis a few years ago? If there is documentary evidence of the fact of the disease, then the conscript is automatically transferred to the reserve.

Meanwhile, the question of the compatibility of the army and meningitis is of interest not only to those who have survived the disease, but also to healthy conscripts. Can you get meningitis in the army? In theory, this risk exists, as, however, in boarding schools, schools, kindergartens, sanatoriums or children's camps. Therefore, in order to avoid an epidemic, vaccinations are carried out. Conscripts should be vaccinated against meningitis approximately 75-80 days before conscription.

Can you die from meningitis?

Any inflammatory process in the body is already a potential danger of death. What then to say about inflammation of the meninges! But if earlier the survival rate after meningitis was no more than 5-10%, in our time this figure has increased to around 90. Of course, the risk of death always remains, but in most cases, patients who have undergone meningitis live a long full life.

Take care of your health and be attentive to the signals of the body. If you experience unusual changes in your well-being, do not delay seeing your doctor. Be aware of the consequences of not starting treatment for meningitis on time.

Inflammation of the meninges (meminx) is a serious disease that requires close attention and mandatory prevention. The consequences of the transferred illness may be irreversible and even fatal. Meningitis is especially dangerous in children - a child can lose sight, hearing and remain disabled for life.

Effective treatment depends on several factors at once:

1. timely detection of signs of illness and referral to a doctor;
2. accurate diagnosis and identification of causes;
3. the right strategy for therapy, recovery and prevention.

The listed aspects are of considerable complexity. A major symptom, such as severe headache, may be mistakenly associated with other medical conditions. And to determine the causative agent of meningitis, for example, the fungus with which the virus is transmitted, is often possible only by doing very complex tests.

Anyone can get a disease called meningitis. There are times when the meninges become inflamed without an external pathogen. For example, as a consequence of advanced sinusitis. Less commonly, there are phenomena when the disease appears due to a genetic predisposition.

Most often, such a virus is transmitted to a healthy person from a sick person. But it is necessary to note the facts, confirmed by statistics: bacteria, getting into the body, do not always become active. If a person has good immunity, the virus is blocked.

The following groups of people are most susceptible to infection:

• children under the age of five;
• adolescents during puberty;
• elderly people.

An increased danger is represented by a long stay in a crowd or constant interaction with a large group of people:

• accommodation in hostels;
• daily work in a crowded confined space;
• frequent travel in crowded transport.

Those who are faced with the listed circumstances need to be especially attentive to personal hygiene issues.

Disease classification

The treatment that a qualified doctor selects depends entirely on the type of inflammation. The disease is classified according to three criteria:

1. cause of occurrence;
2. development speed;
3. flow form.

Inflammation of the meninges can be acute or chronic. In the first case, the disease progresses rapidly, accompanied by vivid symptoms. In the second case, there are no pronounced signs or they look like a cold or poisoning.

From the point of view of origin, the disease is divided into primary and secondary. And by etiology - on fungal, bacterial or viral.

By the form in which the inflammatory process takes place, it is determined whether a person is sick with serous or purulent meningitis. The second type is considered the most dangerous.

What causes meningitis?

The disease meningitis, as already noted, can be contracted, or you can get sick as a result of complications from other ailments, such as the flu or chronic sinusitis.

But the most common causes of meningitis are viruses. For example, enterovirus: usually it is the causative agent of gastroenteritis, but at the same time it is capable of infecting the meninges. Viral inflammation has, oddly enough, the best prognosis. With timely medical care, the patient gets better already on the 13-14th day.

One of the subtypes of viral meningitis is herpes simplex. With a weakened human immunity, this virus can provoke the onset of a chronic illness.

It is easy to get sick with viral meningitis in a crowded place if you don't follow good personal hygiene (such as washing your hands). There have been cases of illness in children and adolescents who have been in summer camps.

Most often, meningitis in children appears if:

• the baby was premature;
• were injured during childbirth;
• there were disorders in the functioning of the nervous system.

The causes of meningitis in adults are broader. There are even such rare cases as a disease of the meninges after X-ray therapy or chemical intoxication.

Alcoholism is a common cause of the onset of meningitis. Regular alcohol poisoning of the body causes damage to the nerves of the brain, after which inflammation of the membranes begins. Treatment of pneumococcal meningitis in such situations is extremely difficult: cirrhosis of the liver prevents antibiotic therapy, and without it there is practically no chance of a complete recovery.

Signs of meningitis in adults and children

Among the most common symptoms of meningitis are:

• heat;
• photophobia;
• weakness and;
• pain in the back of the head;
• spontaneous vomiting;
• rash.

With a bacterial or purulent form of the disease, the first signs of meningitis appear unexpectedly, and the disease develops very quickly. If you do not start treatment immediately, the consequences will be dire for the patient.

In viral meningitis, symptoms are initially observed that resemble a common respiratory illness: a "dull" headache, weakness, high fever, runny nose and possible cough appear. Further, meningococcal sepsis or nasopharyngitis develops, which causes intoxication of the body and inflammation of the meninges.

In order not to miss the onset of the disease, you should pay special attention to two important symptoms that help to distinguish a cold from meningitis:

1. The headache extends to the back of the head. It is difficult for a person to tilt his head forward. The neck is often numb and has difficulty turning to the side. In acute attacks of headache, the eyeballs are so tense that it is almost impossible to move the eyes up, down, or sideways.
2. A characteristic rash appears on the body - red-purple spots. Usually in the armpits or on the legs, gradually spreading throughout the body. A meningitis rash can appear as large or small asterisks. In children, it is found even on the palms and shoulder blades.

Signs of meningitis in children may vary depending on the individual characteristics of the child: some become lethargic and sleepy, others too restless. But the common symptoms are rash, headache, and frequent regurgitation. In infants, a tense fontanelle is noted.

Signs of meningitis in adults can have several “waves”. For example, with a viral inflammation, a person may feel a sharp deterioration in health, with nausea and pain in the back of the head. After taking painkillers and lying in bed for a couple of days, the adult feels temporary relief and goes back to work.

After a while, the attack resumes, the body becomes covered with a rash, the temperature rises to 40 degrees. In these cases, you can not hesitate to see a doctor. At the first sign, it is better to immediately undergo an examination and avoid consequences or complications.

What is the danger

Unfortunately, the statistics on deaths from meningitis are rather sad. Treatment, started late, is not always able to prevent death or consequences in the form of mental retardation, loss of vision, hearing or full physical activity.

Meningitis symptoms are sometimes difficult to recognize in time. Sometimes there is no characteristic rash for which the diagnosis of meningitis becomes faster. In addition, people who are inclined to self-medicate make erroneous diagnoses to themselves: they think they have caught the common flu, take painkillers uncontrollably, and only temporarily postpone a serious problem.

The danger of the virus is that it can be very contagious. Meningococcus is spread quickly through unwashed hands or dishes. A sick person risks not only his health, but also the well-being of the people around him.

Diagnosis of meningitis

A rash with meningitis greatly simplifies the diagnosis of the disease. However, there are times when this characteristic symptom is absent. Then additional methods of examining the patient are used:

1. Nasal discharge is analyzed. Fluid testing may reveal the presence of a bacteria such as pneumococcus in the body.
2. An accurate diagnosis of meningitis is possible by taking a puncture. This is a rather unpleasant procedure. However, the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from the lumbar spine allows you to quickly identify the type of meningitis and prescribe adequate treatment.
3. Testing the patient for symptoms of Kernig, Hermann, Brudzinsky, etc. For example, according to the Kerning system, it is difficult for a patient with meningitis to straighten the knee while the person is sitting, and the Brudzinsky test checks the ability to pull the knees to the stomach while trying to pull the chin to the chest.

Joint dysfunctions are common consequences of the development of meningitis. But it can be difficult to determine them on your own, without the help of a doctor.

Drug treatment

The methods of therapy are selected in accordance with whether it is necessary to treat meningitis in children or in adults, at what stage of development the ailment is, whether the process is acute or chronic. And also whether it was possible to detect meningitis in its incubation period.

Treatment depends on the type of meningitis. For instance:

1. Therapy of the meningococcal type includes taking penicillin, meglumine, mulfanomethoxin and other drugs.
2. Pneumococcal species is usually treated with ampicillin, kanamycin sulfate and benzylpenicillin sodium salt.
3. The tuberculous type of meningitis usually requires the appointment of isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin, pyrazinamide and other drugs.

Treatment with antibacterial drugs is selected individually, since the doctor must take into account the patient's age and his individual contraindications. For example, with a weak liver and problem kidneys, potent antibiotics can cause even greater negative consequences.

Almost all patients are prescribed diuretics, since it is important to remove toxins from the body. General strengthening and immunity-supporting medications are prescribed. Symptomatic treatment is selected for the purpose of relief.

Unfortunately, there is no universal therapy regimen. Too many different factors affect the right choice of drugs. Therefore, it is strongly not recommended to self-medicate or use folk remedies. Only professional help will help to avoid the effects of inflammation.

Prevention of meningitis

It is difficult to argue with the opinion that the most effective treatment is the one that could be minimized. Prevention of getting meningitis involves simple safety measures that are easy to follow:

1. Always wash your hands before eating.
2. Have personal utensils. Do not drink from the same mug with other people.
3. While in nature, protect yourself from insect bites (which can spread the infection).
4. Monitor the tone of your immunity: give up bad habits, take care of good nutrition and rest, replenish the vitamin supply during demi-season periods.
5. Do not self-medicate. At the slightest suspicion of inflammation of the meninges, a doctor should be called.

A meningitis vaccine can be a good preventive measure. It can be done even for a child from 2 months old. Vaccination is usually given to children under 4-5 years of age.

Headache with sinusitis and after a puncture: treatment methods