Download Meningococcal Meningitis

MENINGITIS
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Video #1
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2-U1S74OH0
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Video #2
• http://abcnews.go.com/Health/uc-santa-barbara-parents-meningitisvaccine/story?id=21194093
WHAT ARE THE MENINGES?
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The meninges are membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord. The
meninges consist of three layers of protective tissue
• Dura mater- most superior of meningeal layers
• Arachnoid- middle layer of the meninges
• Pia mater- inner most layer of the meninges
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Function
• Protects Cranial Nerves and Spinal Cord
WHAT IS MENINGITIS?
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Meningitis is a disease caused by the inflammation of the protective membranes covering
the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges
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The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and
spinal cord.
HOW DOES MENINGITIS DEVELOP?
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Meningitis may develop in response to a number of causes, usually viruses or bacteria
• meningitis can also be caused by physical injury, cancer or certain drugs
• The five main types of meningitis are:
• Bacterial meningitis, Viral meningitis, Parasitic meningitis, Fungal meningitis,
Non-infectious meningitis
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The severity of illness and the treatment for meningitis differ depending on the cause
VIRAL MENINGITIS
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Is the most common type of meningitis
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Often less severe than bacterial meningitis
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Most people (usually) get better on their own
• Infants younger than 1 month and those with suppressed immune systems  more
severe illness
VIRAL MENINGITIS
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Causes
• Non-polio enteroviruses are most common cause of viral meningitis in the U.S.
• Common in summer to fall
• Only small number of peo0ple with an enterovirus develops meningitis
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Other Viruses that can cause meningitis are:
• Mumps, Measles, Influenza, West Nile Virus
VIRAL MENINGITIS
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Risk Factors
• Any age group, some are at higher risk including:
• Children younger than 5 yrs. of age
• People with suppressed immune systems caused by other disease,
medications, and recent organ or bone marrow transplantations
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Transmission
• Close contact with person who has viral meningitis may infect you with the virus that
made person sick, but low chances of you developing meningitis
VIRAL MENINGITIS
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Symptoms
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In Infants: Fever, Irritability, poor eating
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In Adults: Fever, Headache, Stiff neck, Sensitivity to bright light
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Naso-oropharyngeal swabs, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and serum
Most cases have no specific treatment
Prevention
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Wash hands, avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, stay home when sick,
Vaccinate against viral infections that can lead to viral meningitis
BACTERIAL MENINGITIS
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Usually severe
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Most people can recover, but it can cause serious complications
• Brain damage, hearing loss, learning disabilities
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Several pathogens can cause bacterial meningitis
• Leading causes in the U.S. include:
• Haemophilus influenzae (most often caused by type b, Hib), Streptococcus
pneumoniae, group B Streptococcus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Neisseria
meningitidis.
RISK FACTORS
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Age- children and teens are at a higher risk for bacterial meningitis
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Community setting- Infectious diseases tend to spread more quickly where larger groups
of people gather together. College students living in dormitories and military personnel are
at increased risk for meningococcal meningitis.
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Season- The infection occurs more often in winter or spring
TRANSMISSION
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The germs that cause bacterial meningitis can be contagious
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Some bacteria can spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions
fore example
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Kissing, sneezing or coughing on someone, living in closed quarters with an
infected person
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Fortunately, most of the bacteria that cause meningitis are not as contagious as
diseases like the common cold or the flu
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Healthy people can carry the bacteria in their nose or throat without getting sick.
Rarely, these bacteria can invade the body and cause disease. Most people who
‘carry’ the bacteria never become sick.
SYMPTOMS
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Can show up in a person by:
• Sudden onset of a fever, headache and stiff neck
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It will often have other symptoms, such as
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)
• Altered mental status (confusion)
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The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear quickly or over several days. Typically
they develop within 3-7 days after exposure.
TESTS TO DIAGNOSE MENINGITIS
• If the health care provider thinks meningitis is possible, a lumbar
puncture (“spinal tap") should be done to remove a sample
of spinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) for testing.
• Tests that may be done include:
• Blood culture
• Chest x-ray
• CT scan of the head
• White blood cell (WBC) count
TREATMENT
• Antibiotics should be started as soon as possible
• Appropriate antibiotic treatment of the most common types of bacterial
meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15%,
although the risk remains higher among young infants and the elderly
• Ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly used antibiotics for meningococcal
meningitis
• Penicillin in high doses is almost always effective, too.
• If the patient is allergic to penicillin, chloramphenicol may be used
• Sometimes corticosteroids may be used, especially in children
PREVENTION
• People in close contact with someone who has meningococcal
meningitis should be given antibiotics to prevent infection
• Such people include: household members, roommates in dormitories
• Vaccines are effective for controlling epidemics. They are currently
recommended for:
• Adolescents
• College students in their first year living in dormitories
• Military recruits
• Travelers to certain parts of the world
RECENT MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE
OUTBREAKS
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Two U.S. universities are experiencing unrelated outbreaks of serogroup B
meningococcal disease
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Princenton University
• 8 reported cases
• 1st case reported in March 2013
• Serogroup B meningococcal vaccine is being used
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University of California, Santa Barbara
• 4 confirmed cases reported during November 2013