Does meningitis cause fever?

Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on September 29, 2024
00:00
00:00

Generally, patients with meningitis exhibit symptoms of fever, along with headaches, nausea, vomiting, or some cognitive impairments and confusion. It is advised that everyone should be cautious and distinguish the symptoms of meningitis from those of common colds, and perhaps visit the department of neurology at a hospital for proper diagnosis and targeted treatment. Under the circumstance of meningitis, it is crucial to follow the doctor's guidance and actively cooperate with the treatment. Typically, a regimen involving anti-infection and antiviral medications is necessary for about two to three weeks, and most patients have a favorable prognosis. Additionally, it is important to maintain a relaxed mood, avoid excessive stress, and drink adequate water to promote excretion.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
47sec home-news-image

Causes of Meningitis

The main causes of meningitis are bacteria, viruses, fungi, rickettsiae, or other pathogens, which invade the pia mater, spinal cord, and theca mater, causing infection. Clinically, bacterial meningitis is more severe. If it is not treated promptly or if the treatment is ineffective or misdiagnosed, it may lead to death within a few hours or even cause permanent brain damage, resulting in sequelae. Meningitis can affect the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater. It may also lead to secondary intracranial infections. It is important to choose antibacterial drugs and medications that nourish brain cells and alleviate cerebral edema for symptomatic treatment promptly.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
37sec home-news-image

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is predominantly an inflammation that occurs in the meninges and can extend to the brain parenchyma. It is generally caused by pathogenic microorganisms, including common pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, tuberculosis bacteria, etc. The most common symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, etc. More severe cases can present with convulsions, disturbances of consciousness, or even coma. The condition can be mild or severe, and if not treated promptly, it can be fatal in serious cases.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
39sec home-news-image

Does meningitis cause headaches?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, tuberculosis bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc., which can all cause meningitis. Common symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, etc., thus patients with meningitis do experience headaches. Moreover, headache is one of the most common symptoms in patients with meningitis. Often, patients suffering from headaches will experience symptoms of nausea and vomiting, which is frequently projectile, and in many cases, the headache can be alleviated after vomiting.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
1min 40sec home-news-image

Differences between Viral Meningitis and Tuberculous Meningitis

Virial meningitis and tuberculous meningitis sometimes require additional differentiation in clinical practice because their treatment plans are significantly different. Virial meningitis has a relatively abrupt onset and is caused by a viral infection, generally having a good prognosis. Patients with tuberculous meningitis usually exhibit symptoms of tuberculosis toxicity such as low fever, night sweats, and fatigue before the onset of the disease. Commonly, other forms of tuberculosis can be identified, such as pulmonary tuberculosis or intestinal tuberculosis. An important diagnostic tool for differentiation is the lumbar puncture. In viral meningitis, the lumbar puncture pressure is generally not particularly high, whereas in tuberculous meningitis, the lumbar puncture pressure is very high, reaching over 400 mm of water column. Additionally, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in tuberculous meningitis is yellowish, and its protein levels are significantly elevated, as are its white blood cell counts, typically ranging from 50 to 500 × 10^6/L. In tuberculous meningitis, the levels of glucose and chloride in the cerebrospinal fluid are significantly decreased, especially chloride, which is a prominent indicator for diagnosing tuberculous meningitis. In contrast, such clear changes are not observed in the lumbar puncture for viral meningitis. Another aspect to consider is the treatment response; if antiviral treatment is ineffective, the possibility of tuberculous meningitis should be considered.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
1min 22sec home-news-image

Differentiation between purulent meningitis and viral meningitis

Purulent meningitis and viral meningitis are different diseases. Purulent meningitis is caused by bacterial infection of the meninges. Viral meningitis is caused by viral invasion of the meninges. Generally, purulent meningitis is more severe, and patients may exhibit symptoms of systemic toxin poisoning, such as high fever, nausea, vomiting, sickly appearance, and general weakness. The symptoms of viral meningitis are relatively mild, and the fever is not particularly severe. Another important differentiation is based on the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. In viral meningitis, the lumbar puncture shows that the white blood cell count is below 1000*10^6/L, and the levels of sugar and chloride are generally normal or slightly low, with protein usually mildly elevated. In purulent meningitis, the cerebrospinal fluid shows a significant increase in white blood cell count, even reaching from 1000*10^6/L to 10000*10^6/L; the protein content is significantly increased, the sugar content is markedly decreased, and chloride levels are reduced. Additionally, bacteria can be found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood cultures in purulent meningitis, whereas viral meningitis cerebrospinal fluid cultures do not show bacteria.