Bacterial+Meningitis9



This is a story about a man who is feeling symptoms of bacterial meningitis, and is then diagnosed with it.

Quick overview of Bacterial Meningitis: Bacterial Meningitis is a very rare disease. Bacterial meningitis is a central nervous system disease caused by certain types of bacteria. Meningitis is characterized by inflammation of the membranes around the brain or spinal cord. Some symptoms of it are headaches, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting. If someone experiences these symptoms, you must get to a doctor to test right away. The doctor does a test called a spinal tap, where they take liquid from your lower back and test it to see if you have bacterial meningitis. If you do have bacterial meningitis, then you must get treatment RIGHT away.

1) What is it? a) Bacterial meningitis is a central nervous system disease caused by certain types of bacteria. Meningitis is characterized by inflammation of the membranes around the brain or spinal cord 2) What is it caused by? a) Caused by three types of bacteria but biggest are i) Neisseria menintidus/streptococcus pneumoniac 3) Symptoms a) People over ages of two i) High fever, headache, stiff neck ii) Develop over several hours, and may take 1-2 days iii) Nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion, sleepiness 4) how can someone aquire the disease a) spread from person to person b) sSome people carry bacteria that cause meningitis in their nose and throat and not be sick, but can spread it to others. c) I It is usually spread by small droplets that come out during coughing/sneezing/ or direct contract with saliva 5) How is a person diagnosed? a) Usually made by growing bacteria from a sample of spinal fluid. It is obtained by spinal tap. A doctor inserts needle into the lower back and removes some liquid. They then test it to identify if it is bacterial meningitis. 6) Treamtments a) Number of antibiotics i) Should get to doctor/start treatment right away 7) Will a person live a normal life? a) yes 8) How common? a) Very rare, clusters of more than a few cases are uncommon b) Meningococcal meningitis occurs regularly in Africa