What type of meningitis is deadly

This test can also determine the best antibiotic for treatment. Your doctor may also conduct a glass test. For this test, your doctor will roll a glass over the meningitis rash. If it does fade, the unusual spots on the skin may be the result of another condition. This includes:. This will decrease your chances of developing the disease.

Vaccinations can also protect against certain types of meningitis. Vaccines that can prevent meningitis include the following:. Practicing good personal hygiene may also help you prevent meningitis. Avoid sharing drinks, utensils, and personal items that may carry saliva or other fluids. Take these steps to prevent getting meningitis. A meningitis infection may produce bacteria in the bloodstream. These bacteria multiply and some release toxins.

That can cause blood vessel damage and leaking of blood into the skin and organs. A serious form of this blood infection can be life-threatening. Gangrene may damage skin and tissue. In rare cases, amputation may be necessary. Several other serious complications may occur in people with meningitis. Read more about them and the long-term effects of an infection. Pneumococcal meningitis is a rare but serious and life-threatening form of bacterial meningitis.

Even with treatment, 20 percent of people with this type of infection die. About 40 percent of people carry bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae in their throat and the back of the nose. These bacteria are responsible for common illnesses like pneumonia, sinus infections, and ear infections. From time to time, however, those bacteria manage to cross the blood-brain barrier and cause inflammation and infection in the brain, spinal cord, or fluids immediately surrounding them.

Fortunately, two vaccines are available to prevent pneumococcal meningitis. Learn more about them and other ways to prevent this deadly form of infection. People with an immune deficiency are more vulnerable to infections. This includes the infections that cause meningitis. Certain disorders and treatments can weaken your immune system. Cryptococcal meningitis, which is caused by a fungus, is the most common form of meningitis in people with HIV.

Meningitis is easily spread when people live in close quarters. Being in small spaces increase the chance of exposure. Examples of these locations include:. Pregnant women have an increased risk of listeriosis , which is an infection caused by the Listeria bacteria. Infection can spread to the unborn child. All ages are at risk for meningitis. However, certain age groups have a higher risk. Children under the age of 5 are at increased risk of viral meningitis.

Infants are at higher risk of bacterial meningitis. Farm workers and others who work with animals have an increased risk of infection with Listeria. Aseptic meningitis is usually caused by a virus.

Learn about aseptic meningitis symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention. Certain factors place young adults at increased risk of getting meningitis. Learn about how lifestyle factors and vaccines can help you avoid this…. Vladimir Kernig found that many with meningitis weren't able to extend their knees past a degree angle without pain.

This identifier was named the…. Meningitis B is a very serious disease that can progresses quickly. Learn about this vaccine, including its effectiveness, how it works, and who…. Carcinomatous meningitis is a complication of late stage cancer. It develops when cancer cells spread to your brain or spinal cord from other parts of….

Meningitis B is a rare and potentially deadly type of bacterial meningitis. Learn all about meningitis B, including symptoms to look for and how to….

Actor and advocate Molly Ringwald is using her voice to help raise awareness about the dangers of meningococcal meningitis, and how a second dose of…. Different vaccines can protect you from multiple strains of meningitis. But most people are only aware of one, leaving them vulnerable to the disease…. Like an adult with meningitis, a baby who gets this condition usually recovers with minimal treatment.

However, there are situations when…. If you suspect you may have meningitis, you may wonder if there is a specific meningitis test that you can have done. In fact, there are several…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M. In infants In children In adults Tests or diagnosis? Prevention Complications Meningitis and pneumonia Risk factors What is meningitis?

Other causes may include: cancer chemical irritation fungi drug allergies Some viral and bacterial meningitis are contagious. What are the symptoms of meningitis? Share on Pinterest. People with certain medical conditions, like diabetes, cancer, or HIV, are at higher risk of fungal meningitis. Various parasites can cause meningitis or can affect the brain or nervous system in other ways. Overall, parasitic meningitis is much less common than viral and bacterial meningitis.

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis PAM is a rare and devastating infection of the brain caused by Naegleria fowleri. Naegleria fowleri is a free-living microscopic ameba that lives in warm water and soil. Sometimes cancers, systemic lupus erythematosus lupus , certain drugs, head injury, and brain surgery can cause meningitis.

Generally, the germs that cause bacterial meningitis spread from one person to another. Certain germs can spread through food. How people spread the germs often depends on the type of bacteria. Read about common examples of how people spread the different types of bacteria to each other. People can spread the viruses that cause viral meningitis to other people. If you have close contact with someone who has viral meningitis, they may spread the virus to you.

However, you are not likely to develop meningitis. Meningococcal disease is any illness caused by a type of bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. To prevent viral meningitis , wash your hands thoroughly and often, avoid direct contact with someone who has the disease, and make sure you have been vaccinated against measles, mumps, rubella, and chicken pox.

A parasite called Naegleria fowleri is the source for primary amebic meningoencephalitis PAM , a very rare type of parasitic meningitis. This form of the disease causes a brain infection that progresses rapidly — one to 12 days on average, Cathey says — and is usually fatal.

In fact, of the 31 confirmed cases of PAM in the U. Standard meningitis symptoms appear one to seven days after infection, potentially followed by confusion, loss of balance, seizures, hallucinations, and lack of attention to your surroundings. Naegleria fowleri has been detected all over the world in warm freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs , soil, warm water discharged from industrial sources, poorly treated swimming pools, and water heaters. The microscopic organism enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain where it begins to destroy brain tissue.

Parasitic meningitis cannot be transferred by person-to-person contact. Another rare form of meningitis, fungal meningitis , occurs when a fungus enters the bloodstream.

Anyone can get this form of the disease, but people with a weakened immune system are at an increased risk. Fungal meningitis is most often caused by inhaling fungal spores from contaminated soil or from bird or bat droppings. Treatment consists of long courses of high-dose antifungal drugs, usually administered in the hospital through an IV.

The type of fungus and state of the patient's immune system determine the length of treatment. Like parasitic and fungal meningitis, non-infectious meningitis cannot be caught from another person.