Pediatric Meningococcal Meningitis

About 10 to 25% of the human population carry N.meningitidis in their respiratory system at any time yet only few develop meningococcal disease. As one of the contagious bacteria, N. Meningitidis are transmitted through direct contact with infectious droplets of respiratory secretions from carriers. The pathogen can get spread by having close and prolonged contact (e.g. kissing, sharing eating or drinking) with the carriers. Incubation period is between two to ten days and invasive infections can happen within 14 days after acquisition. Meningococcal diseases have the highest incidence during late winter and early

The disease give off a toxin in the life cycle of bacteria after it life span has ended and it has quickly multiplied. The toxin which is emitted is so deadly, it rapidly kills tissues surrounding the areas where the highest concentrations of the bacteria is located. Oddly, when the bacteria is treated with an antibiotic, it produces more toxin because a greater number of bacteria are being killed. Though historically the meningococcal disease has been known to only attack and the very young. There are now more and more cases of the disease appearing in the “young adult” crowd. These would be at the roughly college age.

Rouphael N, Stephens S (2015, March 4) Neisseria meningitidis: Biology, Microbiology and Epidemiology Retrieved from

Infectious meningitis may be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, or toxins (McCance, 2014). There is a type of meningitis that does not have an identifiable pathogen; this type is called aseptic meningitis. Typical symptoms for meningitis are sudden high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, vomiting or nausea with headache, confusion or difficulty concentrating, seizures, sleepiness or difficulty waking up, sensitivity to light, lack of interest in drinking and eating, and skin rash (Mayo Clinic, 2013). There are three main types of meningitis, each having their own individual

Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and fluid that surrounds a person's brain. It is sometimes referred to as Spinal Meningitis. It's usually caused by either a bacterial or viral infection. As you read through this paper you will learn how Meningitis is transmitted, its symptoms, its effects, and even the incidences it has caused.

Neisseria meningitidis is an injurious and possibly deadly disease-causing bacterium in humans of any age. The most common ages affected by bacterial meningitis are infants, children, and young adults. (1,3) Neisseria meningitidis is a fast-acting bacterium that can kill the host within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms. An estimated 10% of infected persons will die from the disease even with antibiotic treatment. (4) Any disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis is classified as meningococcal and the diseases caused are meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicemia. (2) The most common cause of bacterial meningitis is Neisseria meningitidis, which is a vaccine preventable disease. The availability of a vaccine to protect against this

Meningitis is a disease caused by inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The most common symptoms of this disease are high fever, stiff neck, a headache that seems different from normal, confusion, and vomiting. Humans are the reservoir of this disease so it can be spread by direct contract with someone by their saliva or mucus. It can also be spread by an infected person who coughs or sneezes on you. Meningitis is also transmitted in contaminated food. To prevent getting this disease wash your hands frequently with warm water and soap and use the twenty second rule when washing your hands, also cover

Bacterial meningitis is the most common form of meningitis. Approximately 80% of all meningitis associated cases are bacterial, the disease is the critical reason for increasing morbidity rates in young children under the age group of one year. In the last 20 years (1991–2010) close to one million suspected meningitis cases were reported in the UK and in the US. [8] [5] The ‘meninges’ is the name for the three membranes that envelope the brain and cord (the central nervous system). Bacterial meningitis is caused by three different bacteria’s: Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, and the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. The bacteria spreads across the spinal cord and optic nerves, within the bacteria it 's fluid contents, the cerebrospinal fluid. The excessive manifestation of bacteria and their toxins within these areas, results in an inflammation of the cranial or spinal structures. This inflammation will consequence in severe damage to the nervous system and brain structures unless treated. Due to the nature of the meninges and the cerebrospinal fluid, an infection of any area of the system can rapidly spread to the rest of the system In this review I will discuss the epidemiology and pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis in young children and its subsequent clinical diagnosis of effective vaccines.[2]

Parasitic meningitis is caused by Naegleria fowleri, which causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a very unusual form of parasitic meningitis. Naegleria fowleri is most commonly known as the “brain eating amoeba.” “The parasite enters the body through the nose and is caused by the microscopic amoeba Naegleria fowleri. This parasite is most commonly found in freshwater environments such as lakes and is most common in the southern part of the United States. This parasite is not contracted by ingesting water that contains the parasite. It is not contagious, yet anyone could be infected with it.

Neisseria meningitis is a common inhabitant of the human nasopharynx that can cross the epithelial barrier to enter the blood stream. Whilst

Bacterial Meningitis is a very serious illness and it needs to be taken care of immediately or it could result in death. The bacteria that cause this condition are meningococci, pneumococci and haemophilus

Bacterial meningitis is fatal and contagious among people in close contact and can be caused by several bacteria. The most common cause in children and adults are Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), Streptococcuspneumoniae (pneumococcus) and among elderlies are Listeria monocytogenes. These forms of infections need immediate medical attention. (1)

Many people don’t know this but there's more than one type of meningitis. There's actually 5; bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal and non-infectious and each of these are classified by the cause of the disease. Even though they are different types of meningitis, all 5 of these types are life threatening and as most people know, what this disease is, is inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Although meningitis is mostly caused by a bacteria or a virus, it can also be caused by an injury,illness and medications.

Meningococcemia is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. This bacteria usually has sporadic or epidemic incidences in late winter or spring where a person is more likely to take in the pathogen through droplet transmission. Meningococcemia can be spread from person to person from kissing to living in close quarters like dorms. Humans who come in close contact with secretions or droplets of the pathogen, usually house the bacteria in the nasopharynx. Neisseria meningitidis can stay in the upper respiratory tract for a few days to several months. After the bacteria made its way to the nasopharynx, the meningococcus attaches to the fimbriae which causes an asymptomatic colonization to most people. About ten percent of people have this type of bacteria in the back of their nose and throat with no signs or symptoms of disease making it easier to pass along. However if the person gets sick more easily, this bacteria can enter into the blood vessels without much trouble causing damages to the epithelium causing more complications as well (Talaro & Chess, 2012). The characteristic property of meningococci is to release an irregular bulge of outer membrane vesicles which are rich in endotoxin. The endotoxin is part of the outer membrane that plays an important part in releasing large quantities of

Meningitis and encephalitis are two similar infections of the central nervous system that often lead to fatality of the host organism. Both diseases occur when pathogens enter the blood stream and gain access into the central nervous system. Stimulating inflammation within the cranial cavity, the pathogens continue to multiply and take harmful effects on the host. Inflammation, the body’s response to infection, ultimately causes all of the symptoms and complications of meningitis and encephalitis. The pathophysiology of meningitis and encephalitis aids in the explanation and understanding of the symptoms, effects, and underlying agendas of the two infections.