Bacterial Meningitis Types Symptoms Causes and Treatment Everyday Health
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It’s hard to get precise numbers for the rate of incidence, but according to a 2011 study, there were approximately 3,200 cases of bacterial meningitis and 500 deaths from the disease in the United States between 2003 and 2007. (2)
Meningococcal meningitis, caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, is the most common type of bacterial meningitis among teenagers and children under age 5. (1)
According to the National Meningitis Association, the B strain accounts for one-third of meningococcal disease in the United States and is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in teenagers. (5)
Group B streptococcus (GBS)E. coli Group B strep infection is the main cause of neonatal meningitis; infants contract it from their mothers during birth. Because of this, the CDC recommends that if you are pregnant, you should talk with your care team about getting a GBS test when you are 35 to 37 weeks pregnant. (7)
Doctors will administer antibiotics during labor to women who test positive in order to prevent infection in newborns. Premature infants are at particular risk for bacterial meningitis caused by E. coli. (8) This bacteria, which is becoming resistant to antibiotics, is hard to assess and hard to treat.
The Hib vaccine has virtually eliminated Hib meningitis in infants and children in the United States, though Hib is still a major cause of pediatric meningitis around the world.
Risk factors for bacterial meningitis include:Age — infants, teens, and young adults are at particular risk Spending time in crowded quarters, such as in college or boarding school dormitories, military barracks, or daycare settingsDiseases, medication, or surgical procedures that weaken the immune systemWorking with meningitis-causing bacteriaTraveling to the so-called “meningitis belt” in sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season, which is December through June (11,12)
Preventive antibiotics can also help protect you from becoming infected with N. meningitidis or Hib if you have close contact with someone with those forms of meningitis. Dexamethasone is a steroid that helps control swelling and pressure in the skull.
Prevnar 13 Pneumovax 23 There are four types of meningococcal vaccines available. Two protect against the B strain of meningococcus, which is most likely to cause an outbreak. They are: TrumenbaBexsero Two vaccines protect against the A, C, W-135, and Y strains. They are: MenactraMenveo The CDC recommends that people traveling to or residing in the meningitis belt in sub-Saharan Africa receive a meningococcal meningitis vaccine that protects against those four strains. (14) This map from the CDC denotes the countries that are at high risk. There are several types of vaccines for Hib as well; they are recommended for children under age 5. (15) They include: ActHIBHiberixPedvaxHIBPentacel (this also prevents tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, and polio) Additional reporting by Carlene Bauer.
Acute Bacterial Meningitis. Merck Manual. December 2020.Bacterial Meningitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 15, 2021.Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. April 29, 2021.Listeria (Listeriosis): Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 18, 2022.Meningococcal Disease: Surveillance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 7, 2022.Mount H, Boyle S. Aseptic and Bacterial Meningitis: Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention. American Family Physician. September 2017.Meningococcal. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. April 29, 2021.Pneumococcal. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. May 6, 2022.Stoll BJ, Hansen NI, Sanchez PJ, et al. Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis: The Burden of Group B Streptococcal and E. Coli Disease Continues. Pediatrics. May 2011.Show Less
Bacterial Meningitis Types Symptoms Causes and Treatment
Bacterial meningitis can be debilitating, but there are vaccines and treatments available to lower your risk of severe illness. By Joseph Bennington-CastroMedically Reviewed by Michael Natter, MDReviewed: April 3, 2018Medically ReviewedNumerous types of bacteria can cause bacterial meningitis, which is treated with antibiotics, steroids, and fluid replacement.John Bavosi/Getty ImagesBacterial meningitis, a form of meningitis that stems from a bacterial infection, is more severe than viral meningitis — but it’s also rarer. More than 1.2 million cases of bacterial meningitis are estimated to occur worldwide each year. (1)It’s hard to get precise numbers for the rate of incidence, but according to a 2011 study, there were approximately 3,200 cases of bacterial meningitis and 500 deaths from the disease in the United States between 2003 and 2007. (2)
What Are the Symptoms of Bacterial Meningitis
The disease has three main symptoms: Stiff neckHeadacheFever If your neck is so stiff that you can’t touch your chin to your chest, call a doctor immediately. Other symptoms include:Sensitivity to light (photophobia) ConfusionSeizures Coma Bacterial meningitis can also cause the following complications:Brain damage Hearing lossLearning disabilitiesDeathWhat Are the Different Types of Bacterial Meningitis
Common types of bacterial meningitis are: Pneumococcal meningitisMeningococcal meningitisListeria monocytogenes meningitisNeonatal meningitisHemophilus (Hib) meningitisWhat Is the Most Common Cause of Bacterial Meningitis
Pneumococcal meningitis, caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, is the most common type of bacterial meningitis in adults in the United States. (3)Meningococcal meningitis, caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, is the most common type of bacterial meningitis among teenagers and children under age 5. (1)
What Is Meningococcal Meningitis
Meningococcal meningitis is meningitis due to the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. In the United States, meningococcal disease is caused mainly by three strains of Neisseria meningitidis: B, C, and Y. (4)According to the National Meningitis Association, the B strain accounts for one-third of meningococcal disease in the United States and is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in teenagers. (5)
What Is Neonatal Meningitis
Newborns are most likely to develop meningitis from the following bacteria (6):Group B streptococcus (GBS)E. coli Group B strep infection is the main cause of neonatal meningitis; infants contract it from their mothers during birth. Because of this, the CDC recommends that if you are pregnant, you should talk with your care team about getting a GBS test when you are 35 to 37 weeks pregnant. (7)
Doctors will administer antibiotics during labor to women who test positive in order to prevent infection in newborns. Premature infants are at particular risk for bacterial meningitis caused by E. coli. (8) This bacteria, which is becoming resistant to antibiotics, is hard to assess and hard to treat.
What Is Listeria Monocytogenes Meningitis
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that resides in food, including in processed meats, like deli meats and hot dogs, and in unpasteurized milks and cheeses. Pregnant women, infants, and people with weak immune systems, such as the elderly, are also at higher risk of developing meningitis from Listeria monocytogenes. Pregnant women can pass the bacteria to their newborns, potentially resulting in neonatal meningitis. There are a number of ways for pregnant women to reduce their risk of getting a listeria infection and passing it on to their newborns, including by:Fully cooking meat and poultryEliminating certain foods from the diet while pregnant, including unpasteurized (raw) milk and soft cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, queso fresco, and fetaEither avoiding lunch meats and hot dogs while pregnant or heating them to at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) before eatingKeeping the kitchen environment clean before, during, and after cookingThoroughly rinsing raw produceScrubbing firm produceHow Safe Is the Food We Eat and Serve Our Families
Food contamination sickens millions of Americans each year. Find out which foods are most likely to be contaminated, and how to make sure all of your food is clean and safe.Food ContaminationWhat Is Hib Meningitis
Haemophilus influenzae type b (also called Hib) was once a common cause of meningitis in the United States, particularly among infants and children. This agent used to be responsible for up to 48 percent of all bacterial meningitis cases, according to a 2010 review. (9)The Hib vaccine has virtually eliminated Hib meningitis in infants and children in the United States, though Hib is still a major cause of pediatric meningitis around the world.
What Are Other Kinds of Bacterial Meningitis
Other bacteria can also cause meningitis, particularly in people with weakened immune systems or those who’ve had head trauma or brain surgery. Among these bacteria are: SalmonellaStaphylococcus aureusPseudomonas aeruginosaHow Do You Get Bacterial Meningitis
Bacterial meningitis is passed to other people through the exchange of saliva or mucus, such as through kissing, coughing, or sneezing. About 1 in 10 people carry meningococcal bacteria in their nose or throat but don’t get sick from it; these carriers can still transmit the bacteria without knowing it. (10)Risk factors for bacterial meningitis include:Age — infants, teens, and young adults are at particular risk Spending time in crowded quarters, such as in college or boarding school dormitories, military barracks, or daycare settingsDiseases, medication, or surgical procedures that weaken the immune systemWorking with meningitis-causing bacteriaTraveling to the so-called “meningitis belt” in sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season, which is December through June (11,12)
How Is Bacterial Meningitis Treated
Bacterial meningitis is treated with:AntibioticsDexamethasone Fluid replacement Antibiotics can reduce the risk of death to below 15 percent. (13)Preventive antibiotics can also help protect you from becoming infected with N. meningitidis or Hib if you have close contact with someone with those forms of meningitis. Dexamethasone is a steroid that helps control swelling and pressure in the skull.
Which Vaccine Protects Against Bacterial Meningitis
There are vaccines for three kinds of bacterial meningitis: PneumococcalMeningococcalHib There are two types of pneumococcal meningitis vaccines available in the United States. They are: (14)Prevnar 13 Pneumovax 23 There are four types of meningococcal vaccines available. Two protect against the B strain of meningococcus, which is most likely to cause an outbreak. They are: TrumenbaBexsero Two vaccines protect against the A, C, W-135, and Y strains. They are: MenactraMenveo The CDC recommends that people traveling to or residing in the meningitis belt in sub-Saharan Africa receive a meningococcal meningitis vaccine that protects against those four strains. (14) This map from the CDC denotes the countries that are at high risk. There are several types of vaccines for Hib as well; they are recommended for children under age 5. (15) They include: ActHIBHiberixPedvaxHIBPentacel (this also prevents tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, and polio) Additional reporting by Carlene Bauer.
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ReferencesLaboratory Methods for the Diagnosis of Meningitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 15, 2016.Thigpen MC, Whitney CG, Messonnier MC, et al. Bacterial Meningitis in the United States, 1998–2007. New England Journal of Medicine. May 26, 2011.Pneumococcal Meningitis. MedlinePlus. October 25, 2020.Meningococcal Disease: Clinical Information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 7, 2022.Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease. National Meningitis Association.Anand V, Holmen J, Neely M, et al. The Brief Case: Neonatal Meningitis Caused by Listeria Monocytogenes Diagnosed by Multiplex Molecular Panel. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. December 2016.Group B Strep (GBS): Preventing Early-Onset Group Strep B Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 27, 2022.Ku L, Boggess K, Cohen-Wolkowiez M. Bacterial Meningitis in the Infant. Clinics in Perinatology. March 2015.Brouwer M, Tunkel A, and van de Beek D. Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Antimicrobial Treatment of Acute Bacterial Meningitis. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. July 2010.Meningococcal Disease: Causes and How It Spreads. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 7, 2022.Meningitis. World Health Organization. September 28, 2021. Meningococcal Disease: Travel as a Risk Factor. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 7, 2022.Meningitis and Encephalitis Fact Sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. July 25, 2022.U.S. Vaccine Names. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 26, 2019.Hib Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 13, 2021. Additional SourcesTravel-Related Diseases: Meningococcal Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 24, 2019.Acute Bacterial Meningitis. Merck Manual. December 2020.Bacterial Meningitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 15, 2021.Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. April 29, 2021.Listeria (Listeriosis): Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 18, 2022.Meningococcal Disease: Surveillance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 7, 2022.Mount H, Boyle S. Aseptic and Bacterial Meningitis: Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention. American Family Physician. September 2017.Meningococcal. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. April 29, 2021.Pneumococcal. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. May 6, 2022.Stoll BJ, Hansen NI, Sanchez PJ, et al. Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis: The Burden of Group B Streptococcal and E. Coli Disease Continues. Pediatrics. May 2011.Show Less