What is meningitis?

Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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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.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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How is meningitis treated?

The treatment of meningitis is comprehensive. Firstly, medication should be based on the cause of the disease. For example, if it is caused by bacteria, sensitive antibiotics should be chosen for treatment; if caused by tuberculosis bacilli, standard anti-tuberculosis treatment should be applied; if caused by fungi, appropriate antifungal drugs should be used, and so forth. Additionally, symptomatic treatment is necessary, such as timely decompression treatment for increased intracranial pressure; fever reduction, especially for patients with high fever; and controlling seizures in patients with anticonvulsants. Moreover, it is important to maintain nutritional and electrolyte balance and ensure that the respiratory tract remains clear, among other things. If there are complications, they should be actively treated. (Specific medications should be administered under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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Is meningitis serious?

Meningitis is a common infectious disease of the central nervous system. Patients with meningitis often experience symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and neck stiffness. As the disease progresses, they may also experience seizures, motor disorders, disturbed consciousness, coma, and other conditions, with severe cases posing a risk to life. Many patients can still have sequelae after recovery, such as speech impairments, hemiplegia, and decreased intelligence. Therefore, meningitis is a very serious disease, and patients should actively cooperate with doctors for treatment after becoming ill.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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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.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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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.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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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.