Meningitis
Also called: Spinal meningitisNational Institutes of Health
Other Languages
New on the MedlinePlus Meningitis page:
Meningitis is inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. There are several types of meningitis. The most common is viral meningitis. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain. Bacterial meningitis is rare, but can be deadly. It usually starts with bacteria that cause a cold-like infection. It can cause stroke, hearing loss, and brain damage. It can also harm other organs. Pneumococcal infections and meningococcal infections are the most common causes of bacterial meningitis.
Anyone can get meningitis, but it is more common in people with weak immune systems. Meningitis can get serious very quickly. You should get medical care right away if you have
- A sudden high fever
- A severe headache
- A stiff neck
- Nausea or vomiting
Early treatment can help prevent serious problems, including death. Tests to diagnose meningitis include blood tests, imaging tests, and a spinal tap to test cerebrospinal fluid. Antibiotics can treat bacterial meningitis. Antiviral medicines may help some types of viral meningitis. Other medicines can help treat symptoms.
There are vaccines to prevent some of the bacterial infections that cause meningitis.
NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Bacteria Culture Test (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Blood Culture Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
- Procalcitonin Test (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Ultrasound: Head (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
- Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib) Vaccine: What You Need to Know(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Meningococcal ACWY Vaccines - MenACWY and MPSV4: What You Need to Know(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13): What You Need to Know(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: What You Need to Know(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Immunization Action Coalition) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Use of Vaccines to Prevent Meningitis in Persons with Cochlear Implants(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Travelers' Health: Meningococcal Disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Arachnoiditis (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
- Bacterial Meningitis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
- Fungal Meningitis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal Meningitis (World Health Organization)
- Non-Infectious Meningitis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Parasitic Meningitis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Subacute and Chronic Meningitis (Merck & Co., Inc.)Also in Spanish
- Viral Meningitis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
- Genetics Home Reference: complement component 8 deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
- Meningococcal Photos (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Treating Meningitis (American Academy of Neurology) - PDF
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Meningitis (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Meningitis, Aseptic (National Institutes of Health)
- Meningitis (Nemours Foundation)
- Meningitis (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
- Risk of Bacterial Meningitis in Children with Cochlear Implants(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
- Meningitis (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal Vaccine: A Guide for Teens (Children's Hospital Boston)
- Spinal Tap (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal Disease (Bacterial Meningitis) Vaccine and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Cerebrospinal fluid culture (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Meningitis (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Meningitis - cryptococcal (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Meningitis - gram-negative (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Meningitis - H. influenzae (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal ACWY Vaccines - MenACWY and MPSV4: What You Need to Know(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13): What You Need to Know(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: What You Need to Know(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Immunization Action Coalition) - PDFAlso in Spanish
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