Meningitis

Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain. First of all there are two types of it.

Viral Meningitis is what occurs because of causes that are not infectious. Cancer is one of them since some types of cancer spread to the meninges. This is referred to as a malignant type. If there are conditions in the body that are inflammatory such as various connective tissue problems, such as lupus, for instance, can cause this brain inflammation. This is because different irritants can inflame the subarachnoid space.

Bacterial Meningitis In the case of a bacterial nature, there are various types of bacteria that reach the brain through the bloodstream leading to the problem. Organisms live within the mucous parts of the body, for example, the nasal area. Viruses there can break down and lead into the brain. Another infection type is strep, which is more common in infants that have this type of infection, and as a result can easily lead to the brain.

The immune system plays a large role in promoting this brain infection. When bacteria cells are seen by your immune cells of the brain, referred to as astrocytes and microglia, they in turn will put out a hormone type of mediator that bring in more immune cells and therefore encourage other body tissues for a response by the immune system. Swelling of the brain because of fluid that is leaking out as it shouldn't causes the blood vessels to become swollen. Inflammation of the meninges are brought on by white blood cells getting into the CSF in large numbers. This leads to edema which is a swelling. Blood vessels have an angry inflammation and when this occurs it is cerebral vasculitis. With this whole infectious process happening. the brain is lacking for oxygen that it needs, and then the cell death begins.

Symptomatology of both types

A severe headache that will not go away is most common.

Stiffness in the neck is very common

High/raging fevers are not unusual of 102 or greater

Delirium or a mental status that is abnormal

Complications

Sepsis can very easily happen in bacterial forms.

Blood clotting that takes place at a too-rapid rate

Low blood pressures

Swelling and a lot of brain pressure

Other causes

This brain infection is contagious and often happens in places like schools where infection spreads.

Those people that have the HIV virus are likely since the immune system tolerance is not very strong.

This can happen with the chicken-pox, the shingles, or mumps. This is because these types are a herpes zoster virus.

Diagnosis

The first test to determine whether or not there is this brain infection type is a spinal tap, (lumbar puncture). A needle is inserted into the spinal column to withdraw fluids which will show the presence of this type of infection.

Blood tests can tell this medical problem by the inflammation markers for a C-reactive protein. Blood cultures may also show inflammations that have to do with this brain condition.

Treatment

Meningitis can be very deadly and if not treated, a person will usually die. The first treatment of choice once diagnosed is an aggressive course of antibiotics. These are usually given intravenously in the hospital along with oxygen if the person is having hypotension,(low blood pressures), and suffering shock. Sometimes treatment is necessary in the intensive care unit if the case is severe.

In the viral type, doctors will give supportive therapy and give drugs that are antiviral since antibiotics will not solve the problem here.

Outcome

The after effects of this brain infection largely depends on the age of occurance. Newborn babies can easily die from bacterial types wherein older children have a better survival chance. This infection may cause permanent damage to the nervous system as a whole, hearing losses, seizures (epilepsy), and learning problems with behavorial problems too. The sooner the problem causing organism is treated, the better the outcome and probably less problems younger people will have.

With adults, the outcome may be that there is an impairment in the brain's ability to function at an intelligent level. Hearing loss has also been noted to be common.