Meningitis is a condition in which there is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the components of the central nervous system, which are the brain and the spinal cord. These coverings are known as meninges. Some of the signs and symptoms of this disease include a headache, fever, and stiffness of the neck. Other symptoms of this disease include confusion, nausea, vomiting, and inability of the patient to tolerate light. However, the symptoms in children seem to be different. They present with symptoms such as irritability, loss of interest in eating, drowsiness and so on. The presence of rash might be an indication for a type of meningitis known as meningococcal meningitis. Meningitis is caused by an infection by either bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other types of organisms. Bacterial meningitis tends to be usually severe and can be lethal. They also spread easily, especially in people close to each other. On the other hand, viral meningitis presents with less serious symptoms. In fact, a majority of patients recover from this disease without much or no treatment. Fungal meningitis is an uncommon variant of the disease, that occurs when a patient’s immune system has been compromised. It can also be precipitated by medications, however, this is quite uncommon. This disease can be severe and even lead to death if not well treated. This is because of the inflammation of important tissues that are close to body organs such as the brain and spinal cord. There are many ways of diagnosing meningitis, however, lumbar puncture is one of the most effective ways of diagnosing this disease. The needle is inserted into the spinal canal, where cerebrospinal fluid is extracted. The CSF is then examined, and tested for the presence of microorganisms. One effective way of preventing this disease is by immunization. Although not all forms can be prevented, Antibiotics is one of the ways of treating people affected by this disease. Corticosteroids are also useful in preventing the complications of the inflammation. Stem cell therapy and exosomes have the potential to become a more effective, and a good alternative to the present way of treating meningitis.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Meningitis?
The most signs and symptoms of this disease include a headache, neck rigidity, increase in muscle tone, fever, confusion and so on. If these symptoms are absent, there is unlikely that the affected patient has meningitis. Below are some of the symptoms seen in adults;
- An abrupt increase in body temperature.
- Neck rigidity.
- Confusion and lack of concentration.
- Headache, that is serious than normal.
- Loss of appetite
- Thirst
- Skin rash, especially in meningitis caused by meningococcemia.
On the other hand, the symptoms are usually different in newborns. Below are some of them;
- Body and Neck stiffness
- Poor feeding
- Constant crying
- Poor feeding
- Irritability
Babies affected with meningitis usually cry than normal. They are also difficult to pacify when they’re crying.
What Are The Complications Of Meningitis?
There are some problems that are associated with meningitis. These diseases usually worsen the prognosis of the patient. Some of the complications of meningitis include hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea and so on. Other severe complications include disseminated intravascular coagulation, gangrene of the limbs, Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, seizure, encephalitis, renal failure, shock, hearing loss, loss of memory and death.
What Are The Causes Of Meningitis?
Meningitis is a severe infectious disease that can be caused by either bacteria or virus. Other less common causes of this disease are fungi, cancer drugs, autoimmunity, tuberculosis and syphilis.
- Bacterial meningitis: Bacterial meningitis is usually severe. It’s important to visit the hospital for diagnosis when you notice symptoms. Bacterial meningitis can lead to the brain damage or even death if not properly managed. There a number of bacteria that can cause this disease. Some of these bacteria are Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria meningitides and Listeria. In most cases, this disease starts when bacteria gain access and infects the blood through the sinuses, ears or the throat. These bacteria then travel from the place to the brain. The bacteria are spread when the infected individual sneezes or coughs.
- Viral meningitis: This type of meningitis is usually less serious as compared to bacterial meningitis. There are some viral diseases that can induce the development of this disease. Some of these diseases are mumps virus, varicella zoster virus, and herpes simplex virus.
- Fungal meningitis: This type of meningitis rarely occurs; it mostly happens to individuals that have a weak or compromised immune system. Examples of people that can have fungal meningitis are individuals undergoing an immunosuppression therapy, and also people with a disease like AIDS. The most common fungal meningitis is cryptococcal meningitis. This is the most prevalent cause of death in patients affected by AIDS, in Africa.
- Parasitic meningitis: This type of meningitis is caused by some parasites such as Schistosoma, cysticercosis and so on. The can be detected by the presence of a large number of eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid.
What Are The Risks Of Having Meningitis?
- Pregnancy: Pregnancy increases the risk of developing meningitis. This medical condition increases the chances of having listeriosis. This bacteria also increases the chances of having a stillbirth, miscarriage and premature delivery.
- Not getting vaccinated: Not getting vaccinated increases the risk of developing and getting infected by the disease, especially in children, and even in adults too.
- Age: Viral meningitis tends to occur more in children, especially those under the age of 5. On the other hand, bacterial meningitis is more prevalent in people below 20.
- Weakened immune system: This occurs in patients affected with diseases such as AIDs, diabetes, people who are alcoholics, and those undergoing any kind of immunosuppression therapy
Stem Cell Therapy And Meningitis
Apart from administering antibiotics, fluids, and other medications, stem cell therapy is will soon become a more effective, and a good alternative to the present way of treating meningitis. According to a journal posted by the Pediatrics Transplantation journal, it was discovered that a 19-year-old patient was successfully treated with by the administration of allogeneic stem cell transplantation
References
Abbas, A., Shukla, R., Ahuja, R., Gupta, R., Singh, K. and Saxena, S. (2015). Visual Impairment in HIV Negative Tuberculosis Meningitis. Journal of Meningitis, 01(01).
Chaaban, S., Wheat, L. and Assi, M. (2014). Cryptococcal meningitis post autologous stem cell transplantation. Transplant Infectious Disease, 16(3), pp.473-476.
Meningitis. (2002). JAMA, 287(3), p.384.
Trubetskoy, A. (2004). Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Diagnosed Enteroviral Meningitis in Adults with Aseptic Meningitis. Academic Emergency Medicine, 11(5), pp.554-554.
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