The germ can invade the blood-stream and the meninges. There will be fever and a blotchy rash, and at about the same time the symptoms and signs of meningitis will appear. These are:
1. A very severe headache.
2. Vomiting.
3. Pain and stiffness in the neck so that the patient cannot flex the neck at all.
4. The patient is restless and difficult to examine.
As the disease progress, the neck becomes retracted, and the illness if untreated goes on to cause coma and death. These central nervous system signs and symptoms apply to all forms of meningitis and also to cerebral malaria.
Cause. A bacterium called the Meningococcus.
Source. Other patients. Symptomless carries are numerous in all epidemics.
Route. Droplet infection–airborne, especially if overcrowding at night, or sharing the same bed with a carrier.
Susceptibles. All who have not had the disease before, especially young children are may likely get infected.
Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis Treatment
In epidemics of meningococcal meningitis in some parts of Africa, there are so many cases that they cannot all be admitted to hospital for treatment. Patients must be adequately treated with penicillin and sulphadiazine, and that all contacts get prophylactic sulphadiazine (0.5 g for children; 1.0 g for adults, every 12 hours for 4 doses).Meningitis cases that have been treated in hospital should be more careful in checking their health stats especially during the first month to see that it is progressing normally.
Prevention of Cerebro-spinal meningitis
Isolation is not very helpful because of the numerous carriers. The best method of control is mass chemoprophylaxis with sulphonamides given to the whole neighbourhood. Vaccines are also available.Other Forms of Meningitis
The description given above applies to all forms. However, only meningococcal meningitis occurs in epidemics in most part of the world. All other kinds occur sporadically. Bacterial meningitis is the commonest, and fortunately it can be treated with antibiotics. However, treatment will not be successful if it is delayed too long.Cause
Bacterial.1. Haemophilus influenzae: this occurs mainly sporadically.
2. Pneumococcus.
3. Staphylococcus.
4. Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Viruses. Not only are there certain viruses which specifically cause meningitis, but other viruses which occasionally cause encephalitis, for example measles virus, mumps virus, chickenpox virus, vaccinia.
Source. This differs according to the kind. In the bacterial meningitis carriers are common. In tuberculosis meningitis the source is always a person with open tuberculosis.
In visual meningitis the source can be a patient, or rats or mice.
Route. Usually airborne.
Susceptibles. All the non-immune, especially, of course, children.
