Meningitis refers to the inflammation of the meninges which form the outer covering of the brain and spinal cord.  Infection may be secondary to bacterial or viral exposure and in rare cases some medicines may lead to this kind of medical condition.  In terms of prevalence, younger people like children and teens are prone to get meningitis.  The same is true for the elderly and those who have weak immune systems.

Viral forms of meningitis are typically not serious conditions.  Typical symptoms of this type of meningitis include seizures and fever that may take quite too long to heal.  In the case of bacterial meningitis, once infection is present in any part of the brain or spinal cord, the virus could easily spread and cause serious illness.  Possible damage to the brain and eventual death may occur for patients with bacterial meningitis.  Another bad thing about meningitis is that this infection can easily be spread to other people by means of coughing and sneezing. Once the bacteria for example reaches the nostrils, it can then spread inside the brain and spinal cord and cause inflammation of the meninges causing serious symptoms like headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting, neck pain and stiffness among others.  Other people will also get very sleepy all day with some having a hard time to wake up fully alert.  There are also patients who experience pain in the eyes or stiffness in the muscles of the neck and back.

Diagnosis of meningitis can be done through the laboratory examination of a patient’s spinal fluid.  If bacteria for example are present, strong antibiotics are immediately given to stop the bacteria from spreading and causing more serious symptoms. Antibiotic drugs are typically given intravenously along with other fluids to help patients recover from serious illness.  Viral types of meningitis may be prescribed with medication, rest, and fluids while under hospital monitoring.