Meningitis Essay

Meningitis is defined as inflammation of the meninges, which are the thin membranous covering of the brain and spinal cord. There are different variations of the disease which include bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, and non-infectious.

Bacterial meningitis is severe in most cases. Many people fully recover but for those who are less fortunate it may cause brain damage leading to learning disabilities and hearing loss. There are many different pathogens that cause bacterial meningitis. The most common here in the United States are Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, group B Streptococcus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Neisseria meningitidis. These bacteria can be transmitted through direct contact with the nose and throat secretions of an infected person. The main reservoirs for these bacteria are humans but can also be the environment, mainly from the soil.

In order to determine if a person has bacterial meningitis blood and cerebrospinal fluid are collected and analyzed by a laboratory. Once it is confirmed that bacteria are present they are then cultured to determine what type of bacteria are present. This lets doctors know how to treat the disease.

The discovery of meningitis dates back to the 1800’s. The first evidence that linked bacterial infection as a cause of meningitis was written by Austrian pathologist Anton Weichselbaum. He was the one to isolate the causative agent of cerebrospinal meningitis. He named this bacterium Diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis.

The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear rapidly over several days. Normally they develop within 3-7 days after exposure to the bacteria. Signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis can occur suddenly and they include: headac...

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...ents. This puts you more at risk for expose to bacteria to the filth of others around you.

Pregnancy can also be titled as a risk factor. You're at increased risk of contracting listeriosis which is an infection caused by listeria bacteria. This bacterium may also cause meningitis. If you have listeriosis, your unborn baby is also at high risk of catching meningitis.

The last risk factor that I’m going to discuss is weakened immune systems. Some factors that may cause a weakened immune system are: AIDS, alcoholism, diabetes, and certain drugs. When these factors weaken the immune system your body cannot prevent infection. In fact it is very easy to contract meningitis with the above health issues.

In conclusion meningitis is not something to take lightly. Stay vaccinated and take preventative actions because this disease is wide spread and can be fatal.