People often have questions about what kind of disease it is and is it possible to get meningitis? In fact, it is nothing more than inflammation of the membranes of the human brain and spinal cord. This word came from the Greek language, consists of two parts, which mean "meninx" and "inflammatory process".
How is meningitis spread?
This is an infectious disease caused most often by bacteria, various viruses and fungi. In addition, he althy people who are bacillus carriers can also be a source of infection. This disease spreads most often through water or dirty fruits. Foci of infection can occur in a single area or several cities at the same time. The disease is transmitted mainly by airborne droplets, but infection is quite possible through objects used by the patient: toys, underwear and other things.
You need to know how meningitis spreads to avoid contracting it. Pathogens enter the brain space with blood and lymph. If the patient has an upper respiratory tract infection, then it will only contribute to the developmentdiseases. You now know how meningitis spreads, but I would also like to clarify that it can appear against the background of other, not so serious diseases. It can be inflammation of the ear or sinuses, traumatic brain injury, etc.
Symptoms of meningitis
Mostly patients complain of severe headaches and painful sensations in the muscles, nausea. The illness is often accompanied by fever. The pulse is usually rapid, consciousness is confused. The patient may even fall into a coma.
But these are not all symptoms. There are a number of such that are peculiar only to this disease. For example, the inability to tilt the head forward due to contraction of the neck muscles. Patients cannot stand too bright light and very loud sounds. In a person with a weak immune system, meningitis occurs either as a mild infection with severe headache and fever, or manifests itself as a rapidly growing coma. In the diagnosis of the disease, a laboratory study of the cerebrospinal fluid, which is taken by means of a puncture of the spine in the lumbar region, is of decisive importance. Its pressure is usually increased, and if meningitis is purulent, then such a liquid is cloudy.
What to do?
How meningitis spreads is understandable. But what to do if you suspect him? It is necessary to urgently deliver the sick person to the hospital, where they will put him in a specialized department or allocate an isolated box. Often, already in the initial stages of this disease, resuscitation and intensive care are necessary.
How dangerous is meningitis?
A sick person can die in the worst case. The consequences of the disease can also be hearing loss, increased intracranial pressure, decreased vision, psychopathy, decreased intelligence, or epileptic seizures. In children, developmental delay is possible, including mental. The severity of all the consequences of the disease depends primarily on its variety, on the timeliness of the treatment and on the degree of brain damage. Not so long ago, an epidemic of meningitis was recorded in Moscow, so many people learned how serious this infection is.
