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    Meningitis

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    Shrouk Ahmed
    This document provides information about meningitis, including what it is, common causes, types, symptoms, treatment, and how it spreads. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by bacteria or viruses. Bacterial meningitis is more serious and requires immediate treatment with antibiotics via IV. Viral meningitis is more common and less severe. Symptoms can include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light.

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    Meningitis

    Uploaded by

    Shrouk Ahmed
    23 views3 pages
    This document provides information about meningitis, including what it is, common causes, types, symptoms, treatment, and how it spreads. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by bacteria or viruses. Bacterial meningitis is more serious and requires immediate treatment with antibiotics via IV. Viral meningitis is more common and less severe. Symptoms can include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light.

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    This document provides information about meningitis, including what it is, common causes, types, symptoms, treatment, and how it spreads. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by bacteria or viruses. Bacterial meningitis is more serious and requires immediate treatment with antibiotics via IV. Viral meningitis is more common and less severe. Symptoms can include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    23 views3 pages

    Meningitis

    Uploaded by

    Shrouk Ahmed
    This document provides information about meningitis, including what it is, common causes, types, symptoms, treatment, and how it spreads. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by bacteria or viruses. Bacterial meningitis is more serious and requires immediate treatment with antibiotics via IV. Viral meningitis is more common and less severe. Symptoms can include fever, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light.

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    Name : Shrouk Ahmed Mohammed Saeed

    No.2123

    Meningitis
     Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the
    membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.
     Most cases are caused by bacteria or viruses, but some can
    be due to certain medications or illnesses.
     Bacterial meningitis is rare, but is usually serious and can be
    life-threatening if not treated right away.
     Viral meningitis (also called aseptic meningitis) is relatively
    common and far less serious.
     It often remains undiagnosed because its symptoms can be
    similar to those of the common flu.

    Causes of Meningitis

    1. Bacteria and viruses that infect the skin, urinary system,


    gastrointestinal or respiratory tract can spread by the
    bloodstream to the meninges through cerebrospinal fluid
    2. In some cases of bacterial meningitis, the bacteria spread
    to the meninges from a severe head trauma or a severe local
    infection, such as a serious ear infection (otitis media) or
    nasal sinus infection (sinusitis).

    Bacterial and Viral Types

    Many different types of bacteria can cause bacterial meningitis.


    1. In newborns, the most common causes are Group B
    streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and less commonly, Listeria
    monocytogenes.
    2. In older kids, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus)
    and Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) are more often
    the causes.
    3. different viruses can lead to viral meningitis, including
    enteroviruses (such as coxsackievirus and poliovirus) and
    the herpesvirus.

    Symptoms of Meningitis

    Meningitis symptoms vary, depending both on the age of the


    patient and the cause of the infection.

     fever
     lethargy (decreased consciousness)
     irritability
     headache
     photophobia (eye sensitivity to light)
     stiff neck
     skin rashes
     seizures

    Treatment

     If meningitis is suspected, the doctor will order laboratory


    tests to help make the diagnosis, probably including a lumbar
    puncture (spinal tap) to collect a sample of spinal fluid.

     If bacterial meningitis is diagnosed — or even suspected —


    doctors will start intravenous (IV) antibiotics as soon as
    possible.
     Fluids may be given to replace those lost to fever, sweating,
    vomiting, and poor appetite, and corticosteroids may help
    reduce inflammation of the meninges, depending on the
    cause of the disease.

    How Does Meningitis Spread?

     Most cases of meningitis — both viral and bacterial — result


    from infections that are contagious, spread via tiny drops of
    fluid from the throat and nose of someone who is infected.

     The drops may become airborne when the person coughs,


    laughs, talks, or sneezes.

     They then can infect others when people breathe them in or


    touch the drops and then touch their own noses or mouths.

     Sharing food, drinking glasses, eating utensils, tissues, or


    towels all can transmit infection as well.

     Some infectious organisms can spread through a person's


    stool, and someone who comes in contact with the stool .

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