MENINGITIS
Essential Information
What is Meningitis ?
Meningitis means inflammation of the brain lining. It can be caused by several different germs. Bacterial Meningitis is quite rare, but it can be very serious and needs urgent treatment with antibiotics. Viral Meningitis is more common but is mild and recovery is normally complete.
About 10% of the population carry the meningitis bacterium without any ill effect to themselves or others. The incubation period is between 2 and 10 days. Meningococcal disease can be hard to identify at first because it looks like a bad case of flu, but a child with the infection will become seriously ill within a few hours.
Some bacteria that cause Meningitis can also cause Septicaemia (blood poisoning). This can develop quickly. A rash appears under the skin. This starts as a cluster of tiny blood spots, which look like pin-pricks in the skin. If untreated, they get bigger and become multiple areas of obvious bleeding under the skin surface, like fresh red/purple patches or bruises. These markings do not turn white when pressed. The appearance of such a rash must be taken seriously - consult a doctor at once.
If bacterial menigitis is diagnosed early and treated promptly, most people make a full recovery. The disease is serious, however, and it can be fatal, or it can lead to permanent handicaps like deafness and brain damage.
Symptoms:
Adults and Children
Symptoms:
Babies
IF IN DOUBT DO NOT DELAY - CALL YOUR DOCTOR AT ONCE
For further advice contact the College Medical Centre (tel ext. 2267)
The information on this page is based on advice given to the College by Dr M Chandrakumar, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, East Kent Health Authority, telephone 01304 222268.
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