How Long is Viral Meningitis Contagious

Disclaimer: All facts and the case study in this article are strictly for information purpose. They should not be used as methods of self diagnosis or as a substitute for the doctor's advice.

"Jonathan was a 4 year old boy. He attended a play group everyday. The company of other kids helped him grow and develop his social skills. One of Jonathan's friends at the play group fell sick, but still came to the play group. His mother thought it was a common cold and that sitting at home would do him no good. For a few days no one seemed to contract the illness. However, around 10 days later, Jonathan started showing symptoms, like, fever, cough, sneezing, etc. Slightly worried, Jonathan's mother took him to his pediatrician to get him checked out. After the blood tests, Jonathan was diagnosed with viral meningitis and advised to stay home till the virus was contagious."

This gets us to our question: How long is viral meningitis contagious?

Well, technically one cannot pinpoint an exact number of days for how long the virus would be contagious. However, as it goes, the virus is in the system for around 3 to 7 days before the symptoms show. The virus is contagious once the symptoms start showing till about 7 to 10 days after that. Anyone exhibiting the symptoms should make sure that they go to a doctor as soon as possible and get a blood test done.

Besides knowing how long is viral meningitis contagious, there are some more facts about it that one should be aware of.

Facts about Viral Meningitis:

1. What is meningitis? And is meningitis contagious? Meningitis is an abrasion of membranes. It can affect the spine as well as the brain. Making it a very severe disease. However, viral meningitis does not affect the spine and is relatively mild.
2. Only 1 out of a thousand people contracting the virus, actually develop viral meningitis. In spite of being rare, viral meningitis is mild and completely curable.
3. Symptoms of Viral Meningitis resemble those of any regular viral flu. Making it a little hard to detect. Bacterial meningitis also has the same symptoms and is a detrimental disease.
4. Antibiotics do not work on viruses. However, the virus causing viral meningitis, enterovirus, clears up on its own in about 2 weeks.
5. Viral Meningitis occurs all over the world. But so far, only isolated cases have been seen, no outbreaks as such.
6. People above the age of 40 are said to be immune to viral meningitis. However, children are more prone to the disease.
7. Viral meningitis is mostly a mosquito-borne disease. However, the virus is known to spread due to exposure to feces or respiratory secretions.
8. Very few cases of people infected with the virus contract viral meningitis. Mostly the viral infection clears up without causing meningitis. In other words, even if a person develops viral meningitis, the disease clears up on its own.
9. Summer and early autumn are the peak seasons for this virus. Somehow, maximum cases of the disease are seen in these seasons.
10. Personal hygiene is the best way to prevent this disease. Washing your hands regularly and having hygienic toilet etiquette can protect you from this virus to a major extent.
11. Being a mosquito-borne disease, staying away from mosquito bites can also work wonders to avoid this disease.
12. Children with mumps and herpes virus are more prone to contracting the virus and the disease.
13. Other than enterovirus, the following viruses are also known to cause viral meningitis:
    • Herpes simplex virus (type 1 or 2, causing cold sores and genital herpes). More on Genital Herpes.
    • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV, causing AIDS). More on HIV/ AIDS.
    • Varicella zoster (Causing Chicken pox). More on Varicella (chickenpox) symptoms and treatments.
    • Epstein-Barr virus(causing the "kissing disease"). More on Mononucleosis Virus: Mono Kissing Disease
    • Cytomegalovirus
    • Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.
    • Poliovirus. More on Polio.
    • Coxsackie A virus.
    • St. Louis Encephalitis virus.

Once you have contracted the virus or the disease, it is essential to know how long is viral meningitis contagious, to make sure that you do not spread the disease further.

Meningitis is a disease that causes brain damage and can cause death. Making it one of the most dangerous diseases in the world. However, care and precaution can help to not only save yourself from the disease but also save others around you. Prevention is better than cure and the right prevention can cure the world of this disease. I hope I have satisfactorily answered the question "how long is viral meningitis contagious". This is where I sign off!! Take care!