What is Viral meningitis?

What is Viral meningitis?

• Viral meningitis: Viral meningitis refers to meningitis caused by a viral infection.
• Viral meningitis: A syndrome characterized by headache, neck stiffness, low grade fever, and CSF lymphocytic pleocytosis in the absence of an acute bacterial pathogen. Viral meningitis is the most frequent cause although MYCOPLASMA INFECTIONS; RICKETTSIA INFECTIONS; diagnostic or therapeutic procedures; NEOPLASTIC PROCESSES; septic perimeningeal foci; and other conditions may result in this syndrome. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p745)
  Source - Diseases Database

Viral meningitis: Introduction

Types of Viral meningitis:

Types of Viral meningitis:

• Enterovirus-caused meningitis
• Arbovirus-caused meningitis
• Measles-caused meningitis
• Mumps-caused meningitis
• Chickenpox-caused meningitis
• more types...»

Broader types of Viral meningitis:

• Viral diseases
• Meningitis
• Brain conditions
• Brain infection
• more types...»

How many people get Viral meningitis?

Incidence (annual) of Viral meningitis: 8,932 new cases in America 1995 (Meningitis Foundation of America, CDC, 1994)
Incidence Rate of Viral meningitis: approx 1 in 30,452 or 0.00% or 8,932 people in USA [about data]

How serious is Viral meningitis?

Prognosis of Viral meningitis: The prognosis for viral meningitis is usually excellent, with most cases resolving in 7-10 days.
Complications of Viral meningitis: see complications of Viral meningitis
Prognosis of Viral meningitis: Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment (Source: excerpt from Meningococcal Disease (General): DBMD) ... Viral (aseptic) meningitis is serious but rarely fatal in persons with normal immune systems. (Source: excerpt from Viral (Aseptic) Meningitis: DVRD)

What causes Viral meningitis?

Causes of Viral meningitis: see causes of Viral meningitis
Causes of Viral meningitis: Many different viruses can cause meningitis.  About 90% of cases of viral meningitis are caused by members of a group of viruses known as enteroviruses, such as coxsackieviruses and echoviruses.  Herpesviruses and the mumps virus can also cause viral meningitis. (Source: excerpt from Viral (Aseptic) Meningitis: DVRD)
Risk factors for Viral meningitis: see risk factors for Viral meningitis

What are the symptoms of Viral meningitis?

Symptoms of Viral meningitis: see symptoms of Viral meningitis

Complications of Viral meningitis: see complications of Viral meningitis

Onset of Viral meningitis: Can occur as early as infancy.

Duration of Viral meningitis: Usually, the symptoms last from 7 to 10 days and the person recovers completely. (Source: excerpt from Viral (Aseptic) Meningitis: DVRD)

Can anyone else get Viral meningitis?

More information: see contagiousness of Viral meningitis

Viral meningitis: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Viral meningitis.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Viral meningitis.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Viral meningitis: see treatments for Viral meningitis
Prevention of Viral meningitis: see prevention of Viral meningitis
Research for Viral meningitis: see research for Viral meningitis

Society issues for Viral meningitis

Hospitalization statistics for Viral meningitis: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Viral meningitis:

• 0.02% (3,040) of hospital episodes were for viral infections of the central nervous system in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 78% of hospital consultations for viral infections of the central nervous system required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 47% of hospital episodes for viral infections of the central nervous system were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 53% of hospital episodes for viral infections of the central nervous system were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 89% of hospital admissions for viral infections of the central nervous system required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Viral meningitis:

Organs and body systems related to Viral meningitis include:

• Brain
• Meninges
• Cns

Name and Aliases of Viral meningitis

Main name of condition: Viral meningitis

Class of Condition for Viral meningitis: viral

aseptic meningitis, Sterile meningitis

Nonpyogenic meningitis Source - Diseases Database

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Viral meningitis:

• Aseptic meningitis
• Serous meningitis
• Nonpyogenic leptomeningitis
• Abacterial meningitis
• Enterovirus
• Coxsackievirus
• Echovirus
• Viral meningitis
• Viral infection
• Herpes viruses
• HSV-1
• HSV-2
• Varicella zoster virus
• VZV
• B virus

 » Next page: Online Medical Textbooks for Viral meningitis

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