Bacterial meningitis is the infection that causes inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and marrow caused by bacteria such as Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Haemophilus influenzae, for example.
Bacterial meningitis is usually a serious condition that can be life threatening if it is not treated properly. Despite this, bacterial meningitis is curable, but the person should be taken to the hospital as soon as the first symptoms appear to receive appropriate treatment.
If you want to know information about viral meningitis see here.
Symptoms of bacterial meningitis
The incubation time of the bacteria is usually 4 days until the person begins to present the first symptoms of meningitis, which can be:
- Fever above 38º C;
- Severe headache;
- Pain when turning the neck;
- Purple spots on the skin;
- Muscle stiffness in the neck;
- Tiredness and apathy;
- Sensitivity to light or sound;
- Mental confusion.
In addition to these, the symptoms of meningitis in the baby can include irritability, strong crying, seizures and hard and tense miller. Learn to recognize other signs and symptoms of childhood meningitis here.
The doctor may arrive at the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis after observing the presented symptoms and cerebrospinal fluid examination. The antibiogram performed through CSF is important to identify the type of bacteria that is causing meningitis because there are antibiotics most indicated for each type of bacteria. Meet other diagnostic tests needed here.
Contagion of bacterial meningitis
Contagion of bacterial meningitis occurs through contact with saliva droplets of the individual. Here's what to do to avoid catching bacterial meningitis.
Therefore, the patient with meningitis should wear a face mask, sold at the pharmacy, and avoid coughing, sneezing or speaking too close to healthy individuals. However, the prevention of bacterial meningitis can be done with the vaccine for meningitis, which should be taken by children with 2, 4 and 6 months of age.
Besides contagion from one person to another, meningitis can occur if the baby is infected with Streptococcus at the time of delivery, a bacterium that may be in the mother's vagina but does not cause symptoms. Here's how to prevent it here.
Sequelae of bacterial meningitis
The sequelae of bacterial meningitis include:
- Brain changes;
- Deafness;
- Motor paralysis;
- Epilepsy;
- Difficulty in learning.
Usually the sequelae of bacterial meningitis arise when treatment is not done properly, especially in individuals over 50 years or children. Get to know other possible sequelae of meningitis.
Treatment for bacterial meningitis
Treatment for bacterial meningitis should be done at the hospital with the injection of antibiotics, but the person may be hospitalized for the first 24 hours after starting antibiotics and can return home after 14 or 28 days when he or she is cured.
Medicines
Preferably the doctor should indicate antibiotics according to the bacteria involved:
| Causing bacteria | Medication |
| Neisseria meningitidis | Penicillin G. Crystalline or Ampicillin |
| Streptococcus pneumoniae | Penicillin G. Crystalline |
| Haemophilus influenzae | Chloramphenicol or Ceftriaxone |
In children, the doctor may prescribe Prednisone.
Antibiotics can begin to be taken as soon as meningitis is suspected, and if the tests prove that it is not the disease, it may not be necessary to continue this type of treatment. In addition to medicines it may be important to take serum through the vein. If the doctor can not find out which bacteria are causing meningitis, it may indicate a combination of antibiotics such as Penicillin G. Crystalline + Ampicillin or Chloramphenicol or Ceftriaxone, for example.
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