Acute meningitis

Acute meningitis: Introduction

Acute meningitis: Acute meningitis is a form of meningitis caused by bacteria that normally lives in the mouth and throat. When the immune system is unable to supress this bacteria, it travels to the cerebrospinal spinal fluid in the brain. From there it affects the membranes surrounding the brain. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Acute meningitis is available below.

Symptoms of Acute meningitis

• Poor feeding
• Lethargy
• Irritability
• Apnea
• Listlessness
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 28 symptoms of Acute meningitis

Acute meningitis: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Acute meningitis:

• Prolonged fever
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Seizures
• more complications...»

Wrongly Diagnosed with Acute meningitis?

• Failure to diagnose Acute meningitis
• Hidden causes of Acute meningitis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Undiagnosed: Acute meningitis

Causes of Acute meningitis

• The types of bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis vary by age group
• In premature babies and newborns up to three months old- group B streptococci Escherichia coli (carrying K1 antigen)
• Newborns- Listeria monocytogenes (serotype IVb)
• Older children- Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), Streptococcus pneumoniae (serotypes 6, 9, 14, 18 and 23)
• Under five years of age- Haemophilus influenzae type B
• more causes...»

See full list of 6 causes of Acute meningitis

More information about causes of Acute meningitis:

• Underlying causes of Acute meningitis

Treatments for Acute meningitis

• Antibiotics
• Measures to reduce pressure within the brain. If meningitis is causing pressure within the brain, corticosteroid medicines such as dexamethasone may be given to adults or children
• Measures to reduce fever. Medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), fluids, and good room ventilation reduce fever
• Measures to prevent seizures. Medicines such as phenobarbital or dilantin can help stop seizures
• Oxygen therapy
• more treatments...»

See full list of 6 treatments for Acute meningitis

Prognosis for Acute meningitis

Prognosis for Acute meningitis: Untreated, bacterial meningitis is almost always fatal.

More about prognosis of Acute meningitis

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