Bacterial Meningitis
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Bacterial meningitis is an acute inflammation of the protective membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord, the meninges. Meningitis in general can be caused by any one of the following:
- A virus
- Various microorganisms
- Certain drugs
- Bacteria
There are several different types of bacteria that cause meningitis, generally dependent upon the age of the patient. Meningitis is caused by a bacterium. The condition is so deadly that a human being may die within one day of contracting the condition if he or she fails to receive treatment. Bacterial infections are typically treated with antibiotics, such as penicillin, but the Brazilian condition proved resistant to typical treatments.
Premature infants and newborns can be infected by group B streptococci, bacteria that normally exists within a person's digestive tract and vagina, and can be transmitted from mother to newborn during birth. Older children can be susceptible to bacteria meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitides or Streptococcus pneumoniae, as are eighty percent of adults who develop bacteria meningitis. Individuals over the age of 50 are generally more at risk for developing meningitis due to the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium.
Bacteria meningitis develops following skull trauma, when bacteria enter through the nasal cavity and enter the meninges. The most common symptom in adults is a severe headache, followed by the inability to move the neck forward (known as nuchal rigidity). Other symptoms may include increased sensitivity to light and intolerance to sound. If left untreated, meningitis has a high mortality rate. Fortunately, there has been a vaccine for children since the 1980s. In cases of bacterial meningitis, immediate courses of antibiotics are recommended, even before confirmation of diagnosis through a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).