What are the symptoms of meningitis

Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27

For many people, meningitis is a terrible disease. What are the symptoms of meningitis? There are different types of meningitis, such as pediatric meningitis, adult meningitis, and acute meningitis, with varying symptoms according to the type.

If one suspects that a baby is suffering from meningitis, it's imperative to seek medical attention and undergo an cerebrospinal fluid examination for confirmation.

Encephalitis is a disease that poses serious threats to newborns. Symptoms of encephalitis in children begin with fever, tearing, runny nose, red eyes, and sensitivity to light.

During examination, white spots can be observed on the mucosa of the cheeks of children, surrounded by redness; this is referred to as a rash papillae in morbilliform rash.

Generally speaking, on the third to fourth day of fever, children develop red rashes, initially appearing on the back of the ears and face, gradually spreading throughout the body. At this time, their temperature is higher than before, and they may also exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and coughing.

3 to 5 days after rash emergence, the rash on the body gradually disappears in order of rash emergence, and the temperature drops, the condition improves.

In cases of measles, concurrent infections such as pneumonia, pharyngitis, and encephalitis can occur. Additionally, it may lead to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

The symptoms of pediatric meningitis are summarized as follows: 1. The prodromal stage, characterized by fever, headache, myalgia, vomiting, and diarrhea in the child.

2. The symptoms of encephalitis vary in severity, primarily manifesting as abnormalities in neuropsychiatric functions.

Neural abnormalities often manifest as fever, headache, vomiting, lethargy, coma, seizures, etc. In severe cases, symptoms may include abnormalities in the brain, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and spinal cord.

Psychotic symptoms include hyperactivity with increased speech, irritability, crying or laughing uncontrollably, insomnia, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, delusions, or expressions of apathy, muteness, decreased activity, loss of appetite, impaired orientation, memory impairment, and urinary or fecal incontinence.

3. Accompanying symptoms, preceding encephalitis or occurring concomitantly with signs of the respective viral infection.

Bacterial meningitis in infants is usually caused by viral or bacterial infection. Viral meningitis, also known as "aseptic meningitis," refers to the condition.

If not treated in time, it may lead to hearing loss, intellectual developmental delay, or even death in children.

Sensitivity to allergies and irritability are characteristics of this stage. After being stimulated by sound or touch, children easily experience startle reactions, with some children also having convulsions.

In children over the age of 2, their symptoms are similar to those in adults and often include typical signs of increased intracranial pressure, such as persistent high fever that does not respond to antipyretic medications.

The child complains of headache, and when it is severe, they clutch their head with both hands or strike their heads with their hands.

Regardless of the child's age, if any of the following symptoms appear, parents should check if the child's neck is stiff and whether the fontanelle (for children under 2 years) is enlarged. If the child exhibits fever, headache, vomiting, and lethargy besides these symptoms, it is crucial to consider encephalitis or meningitis. It is advisable to seek immediate medical attention and have a cerebrospinal fluid examination by a doctor for confirmation.

What is Acute Meningitis? Besides pediatric meningitis and adult meningitis, acute meningitis can also be classified based on the symptoms of meningitis into: acute meningitis and chronic meningitis.

The symptoms of acute meningitis are as follows: The clinical manifestations of acute viral meningitis are characterized by a rapid onset, typically lasting several hours. Symptoms include fever, with body temperature reaching 38-40°C, and headache, which is more severe than headaches caused by other febrile conditions. It may also be accompanied by mild disturbances in consciousness, such as drowsiness, stupor, or irritability.

The typical symptoms of acute meningitis are fever, headache, neck stiffness and vomiting which often precede the onset of respiratory tract infection or sore throat.

Adults may fall into critical illness within 24 hours, while the course of illness in children can even be shorter.

Below are symptoms of meningitis. If you experience these signs, it is important to be aware that you may have acute viral meningitis and seek treatment in a timely manner.

1. Presenting with fever, headache, somnolence, coma, convulsion, and progressively worsening neuropsychiatric symptoms.

2. The onset is swift and often accompanied by a history of viral infection.

3. Cerebrospinal Fluid Changes: The appearance is clear, with a mild increase in white blood cell count (ranging from 30 to 500 x 106/L). At an early stage, neutrophils are predominant, while at a later stage, lymphocytes become the dominant cells. Protein levels are slightly elevated, and glucose and chloride levels remain normal.

4. EEG shows various degrees of diffuse or focal slow waves.

5. The titer of complement fixation test in acute phase and recovery phase are 4 times or more than that in the acute phase.

6. Hemostatic inhibition test, the titer in recovery phase is more than or less than 4 times higher than that in acute phase.

7. The titration degree of serum neutralization test is 4 times or more than 4 times in the acute phase and recovery phase.

8. Immunofluorescence antibody test is positive.

What is chronic meningitis? The clinical manifestations of chronic meningitis are very similar to those of acute meningitis, except that the progression of the disease is slightly slower, taking several weeks rather than several days.

The fever may be very mild.

In new-onset bacterial meningitis, common symptoms include headache, dementia, back pain, and paralysis of cranial and peripheral nerves.

Chronic communicating hydrocephalus can occur as a complication.

The course of the disease can progress and worsen, leading to death within a period of weeks to months.

Chronic meningitis can be seen in fungal infections, tuberculosis, Lyme disease, AIDS, syphilis, or some non-infectious diseases such as sarcoidosis, Behçet's syndrome, and neoplasms. Examples include leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, metastatic brain cancer, and gliomas (particularly glioblastoma, ependymoma, and medulloblastoma).

Chronic meningitis must be differentiated from acute or encephalitic meningitis which may have a prolonged recovery period, and from recurrent meningitis (e.g., as seen in craniopharyngioma leakage or following head injury).

Because the symptoms of the brain are progressive, it is necessary to make a differential diagnosis with structural lesions of the brain (e.g., brain tumors, brain abscesses, subdural fluid collections).

Active lesions of other parts of the body, or primitive malignancies, may suggest the etiology. However, a cerebrospinal fluid examination is necessary for confirmation unless there are contraindications to lumbar puncture.

The cell count of cerebrospinal fluid is generally less than 1000/μl, with lymphocytes predominating.

Glucose quantification often decreases while protein quantification may increase.

In neoplastic meningitis, the cerebrospinal fluid may show an increase in lymphocytes, a decreased glucose level, a slightly elevated protein concentration, and often an elevation of cerebrospinal fluid pressure.

In syphilis, the cerebrospinal fluid is similar to that of other subacute meningitis but usually shows normal glucose levels.

The results of the blood and cerebrospinal fluid VDRL tests are typically positive in patients with syphilis.

If abnormalities are observed in the body, microscopic examination or culture of cerebrospinal fluid must be performed to determine malignant cells or pathogenic bacteria.

Because most infections require the use of highly specific drugs for prolonged treatment, the accurate identification of pathogens is of great importance before the start of treatment.

The pathogenic fungi often can be found in the sediment after centrifugation of cerebrospinal fluid.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis must undergo acid-fast staining and immunofluorescence testing.

Can meningitis be cured? Understanding the symptoms of meningitis, many people are more interested in knowing if meningitis can be cured. Meningitis can be cured.

Meningitis is a disease characterized by symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fever, convulsions, or nausea and vomiting, which occur after infection with meningococcus bacteria.

This disease is often critical, but with early diagnosis and aggressive and adequate antibiotic treatment, it can be completely cured.

The treatment of bacterial meningitis is mainly based on the detection of bacteria in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and examinations, and selection of effective antibiotics based on drug sensitivity tests. Timely treatment is essential to minimize the occurrence of sequelae.

Additionally, symptomatic treatment is required for high fever, control of convulsions, reduction of intracranial pressure, and alleviation of cerebral edema. Additionally, the use of steroids to reduce intracranial inflammation and adhesions is necessary.

Antibiotics do not work against viral meningitis, so antiviral drugs should be added.

To prevent tuberculous meningitis, the most fundamental method is to protect children from tuberculosis infection. It is essential to ensure that children receive preventive vaccinations. The BCG vaccine should be administered at birth, with booster shots every 3 to 4 years, and children should avoid contact with individuals who have tuberculosis.

Once a child exhibits recurrent low-grade fever and persistent cough, it is imperative to promptly seek medical attention for a chest radiograph. If the diagnosis is tuberculosis, comprehensive treatment should be administered to prevent the disease from spreading to the brain.

If a child exhibits persistent low-grade fever, changes in mental status, and persistent headaches and vomiting, it is advisable to seek medical examination for cerebrospinal fluid. If the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis is confirmed, comprehensive and standard treatment should be administered to minimize the occurrence of sequelae.

Bacterial meningitis can result in sequelae, as it is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. Here are some common types of bacterial meningitis and their associated complications: 1. Viral Meningitis: Viral meningitis can be caused by a variety of viruses, including epidemic (e.g., Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Echoviruses) and endemic (e.g., St. Louis encephalitis, Western and Eastern equine encephalitis, California encephalitis) infections. These viruses typically cause the disease during warm seasons when mosquitoes are abundant. 2. Bacterial Meningitis: Bacterial meningitis can lead to various sequelae, depending on the type of bacteria involved and the severity of the infection. Some common sequelae include: - Cranial nerve palsies (loss of hearing or vision in one or both eyes) - Neuropsychological sequelae (impaired memory, learning, behavior, and cognitive function) - Motor deficits (weakness, paralysis, or ataxia) - Seizures - Coma or death 3. Post-Meningitic Syndrome: This is a group of neurological symptoms that may occur after the initial stages of meningitis have resolved. It can include headache, fever, fatigue, confusion, seizures, and other symptoms. The severity of this syndrome can vary widely from person to person. 4. Long-term Effects: In some cases, people may experience long-term effects from bacterial meningitis, such as hearing loss, cognitive impairment, or physical disabilities that persist for years or even decades. It is important to note that the severity of these sequelae can depend on several factors, including the specific type of bacteria causing the meningitis, the age and overall health of the patient, and the promptness with which treatment is administered. Early diagnosis and treatment can help reduce the risk of complications and improve outcomes for patients with bacterial meningitis.

2. Secondary meningitis is often a complication of viral infections and is caused by the immune response. For example, it occurs after measles, chickenpox, rubella, smallpox vaccinations, and many other less clear viral infections.

These, around the infection or after the encephalitis typically appear symptoms in the disease of viral diseases after 5-10 days post-onset, in pathological anatomy seen pathological features: demyelination around blood vessels.

3. In extremely rare cases, meningitis or other brain diseases may occur as a delayed manifestation of viral infections, with measles virus-associated subacute sclerosing panencephalitis being the most familiar example.

Meningitis may cause fever and general malaise, without signs of meningeal irritation, or may present with signs of meningeal irritation (fever, headache, vomiting, general malaise, as well as neck and back stiffness). In addition to brain dysfunction (changes in consciousness, personality changes, seizures, and limb paralysis), and cranial nerve abnormalities.

The medical information provided in this text is for reference only and should not be used for any diagnostic or treatment purposes.

If you experience discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately. The diagnosis and treatment of the condition should be based on a consultation with a healthcare professional in person.