Signs and Symptoms of Meningitis

Depending on the duration of these signs and symptoms, meningitis can be classified as either acute or chronic meningitis. Acute meningitis means that the symptoms will evolve over a matter of hours or within a few days, while in the case of chronic meningitis the onset and duration of symptoms takes place anywhere between a few weeks to a few months. Characteristically, the duration of chronic meningitis symptoms is generally 4 weeks. In most cases, these symptoms tend to overlap, as they share a lot of etiologic agents.

There are many infectious as well as non-infectious for the onset of meningitis. Examples of some of the most common non-infectious causes are medications like Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, and carcinomatosis.

Causes of Meningitis
Meningitis is generally classified according to etiology. Acute bacterial meningitis would mean that the main cause for this type of syndrome is a bacterial strain. Acute bacterial meningitis is characterized by the onset of neutrophilic pleocytosis coupled with acute meningeal symptoms.

Depending on the particular bacterial cause, this syndrome may also be called by other names, for instance meningococcal meningitis, streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis, or haemophilus influenzae meningitis.

The parasitic and fungal causes of meningitis are also termed in such way as to suit their specific etiologic agent. Examples of these are: histoplasma meningitis, cryptococcal meningitis and amebic meningoencephalitis.

Aseptic meningitis is a broader term that is used to denote a certain nonpyogenic cellular response that is generally caused by a number of different etiologic agents. In most such cases, the cause is very difficult to diagnose and isn’t apparent after initial evaluation. Patients typically will suffer from acute meningeal symptoms, cerebrospinal pleocytosis and fever, which is usually prominently lymphocytic. After extensive checkups and tests, most of these cases are found to have a viral etiology and can be renamed as acute viral meningitis. Examples of this kind are enterovirus meningitis, HSV or herpes simplex virus meningitis. While most cases of aseptic meningitis are caused by viruses, there are other causes as well, like fungal, bacterial, mycobacterial and parasitic agents.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Meningitis?
Severe headaches, stiff neck and high fevers are the most common symptoms amongst patients suffering from meningitis, especially for those who are 2 years and above. These signs and symptoms can develop over a period of two hours, or it could take anywhere from 1 to 2 days to evolve.

Symptoms like vomiting, nausea and discomfort while looking into bright lights are also very common. It is very easy to mistake these early warning signs of meningitis for those of the flu, so it is very important to get yourself checked by a doctor immediately. Some of the other signs and symptoms of meningitis, whatever type it may be, are:

• Difficulty concentrating and confusion – however, if the patient is very young, then it may appear as the inability to make eye contact or maintain it.
• Difficult waking up or constant sleepiness.
• Loss of appetite and lack of interest in eating and drinking.
• In some cases, skin rashes are visible, especially for those suffering from meningococcal or viral meningitis.
• Sensitivity to light
• Seizures.

As the disease continues to progress, patients of any age may start to have seizures.

Early signs and symptoms of meningitis may suggest serious infections like ice-cold extremities (hands and feet), leg pain and abnormally yellowish or pale skin.

What are the Symptoms of Meningitis in Newborns?
Young infants and newborns may not have what you call the classic signs and symptoms of stiff neck and severe headaches. Instead, they seem to cry on a constant basis or could seem unusually irritable and sleepy and tend to eat very little.

In some cases, the soft spots on the child’s head may appear to bulge. A very critical sign that appears towards the later stages is a spasm that consists of extreme hyperextension of the body, which is known as opisthotonos.

If anyone you know has any form of meningitis, then delaying treatment will increase the risk of permanent and severe brain damage. What’s more, most forms of meningitis have proven to be fatal within a matter of just a few days. Seek medical attention as soon as possible if anyone in your family shows any of these signs and symptoms.