Questions and Answers
Q. What is meningitis?
A. Meningitis, often referred to as spinal meningitis by the general public, is an infection of the layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord. It may be caused by many different germs. It is generally a very serious illness, which can result in blindness, deafness, amputations, permanent brain damage, or even death. However, with proper treatment, many people recover fully.
Q. What is meningococcal meningitis?
A. Meningococcal meningitis is a particularly severe form of meningitis caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Even when treated with the right antibiotics, about 10-20% of people with this illness die, often within hours of the onset of the first signs of illness.
Q. Is meningococcal meningitis contagious?
A. Yes. However, it is not as contagious as the common cold or the flu.
Q. How hard is it to get meningitis in comparison with a cold or flu?
A. Meningitis is much more difficult to get because it is not airborne, is not spread by
casual contact, and occurs much more rarely. Saliva must enter the nose or mouth to spread the disease.
Q. How is meningicoccal meningitis spread?
A. It is spread by direct contact, as in coughing or sneezing directly into someone’s face, allowing saliva or respiratory droplets from a carrier to enter the mouth or nose of another person, kissing, sharing of toothbrushes, sharing drinks and food, and immediate sharing of unwashed eating utensils.
Q. What are the symptoms?
A. Symptoms of meningitis may include:
1. Elevated temperature (fever will rise rapidly and will not break with Tylenol or Advil)
2. Severe headache
3. Stiffness of the neck (when bending the neck forward, chin cannot touch chest).
4. Nausea and maybe vomiting
5. A skin rash that looks like small, purplish red pinpoint spots.
Persons with meningitis may also be confused or very drowsy; sometimes they may
even go into a coma from which they cannot be awakened. Getting early medical
advice when a person has a fever, stiff neck and headache, especially when meningitis
has been reported in the community can be lifesaving. Meningitis can begin with flu-
like symptoms, but progresses very rapidly and is very dangerous. Early detection
and treatment are of utmost importance in handling this disease.
Q. What should I do if someone in my household gets symptoms of meningitis?
A. Do not wait. Seek immediate medical attention for the sick person. Remember to ask the doctor about care of household members.
Q. How is meningococcal meningitis diagnosed?
A. The diagnosis is made by performing a culture of the blood or spinal fluid.
Q. How is it treated?
A. Persons with meningococcal meningitis must be hospitalized, almost always in intensive care. They are treated with intravenous antibiotics and other medications, and monitored closely.
Q. Who is most likely to get sick with meningococcal meningitis?
A. Approximately fifteen percent of normal healthy people have the meningococcal germs in their nose and throat, and remain well. Why some people suddenly become ill with this germ is not understood and happens unpredictably.
Two groups of people are known to have a higher chance of getting sick as a result of direct and close contact to the infected case:
1. People who live together under the same roof where there is a case of meningitis
2. Preschool age children in day care centers where there is a case of meningitis
Children from the ages of 3months to 1 year are at the highest risk of contracting
this disease.
Generally, children in the same school have no increased risk of getting sick and
should just be observed. The same is also true of adults who work together.
Although any person can be susceptible to the disease, people with immune
deficiencies are at greater risk.
Q. What if I am exposed to someone who has meningococcal meningitis?
A. Those who are close contacts (household members, day-care classmates and
teachers, and “best friends”) will usually be advised to take a two-day course of antibiotics to reduce their risk of meningitis. Depending on the antibiotic used, this may be a single dose or up to two days of medication.
Q. How long would it take for me to become sick if I were in close contact with an
infected person?
A. In most situations, there is little chance that an individual who is exposed to a
case of meningococcal meningitis will also get sick. However, anybody who has
been around a case of meningitis should be alert to the possibility of disease in
themselves, and seek medical care if symptoms develop. If you are going to be
become ill, the symptoms will show up in just a few days. Most people will get
sick in two to ten days, the average is three to four days.
Q. Is there a vaccine for meningococcal meningitis?
A. There is a vaccine against meningococcal meningitis. It is effective against four of the groups of bacteria that cause meningococcal meningitis. The vaccine is somewhat helpful, but it will not prevent the most common serious type of meningitis. Mass immunizations are usually recommended only in areas where the number of cases is considered to be in epidemic proportions. It takes at least two weeks after vaccination for protection to begin. It is also ineffective in children under two year of age. This vaccine is recommended for children of college age living in dormitories and for those in military barracks due to the close contact of the living situation that allows for easier transmission of the illness.
Q. Should I keep my children out of school? Should ball games or concerts be canceled?
A. The Texas Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend restricting travel, school or church attendance, or group events such as sporting or cultural events when meningitis occurs in the community. The risk is very small in those settings since transmission of the bacteria requires rather close exposure, such as direct transfer of saliva to the nose or mouth.
Q. Are there other general recommendations to avoid this and other infections in my household?
A. Personal hygiene is very important. This includes:
1. Covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing
2. Frequent handwashing
3. Not allowing people to kiss your baby on the mouth
4. Not sharing common eating utensils
5. Avoiding overcrowded conditions
For more information, contact your local health department (281-342-6414), the state health department (512-458-7676), your private physician, or your child’s school.
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