Bacterial Meningitis: What You Need to Know

High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 years. These symptoms can develop over several hours or take 1 to 2 days. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness. Infants with meningitis may appear slow or inactive, have vomiting, be irritable, or feeding poorly. As the disease progresses, patients of any age may have seizures.

Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria is mainly spread from person to person through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions. This can occur through coughing, kissing, and sneezing, yet none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as the common cold or flu. The bacteria are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

Sometimes the bacteria that cause meningitis have spread to other people who have had close or prolonged contact with a patient with meningococcal meningitis or Hib. People in the same household or daycare center or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions (such as a boyfriend or girlfriend) would be considered at increased risk of getting the infection. People who qualify as close contacts of a person with meningitis caused by N. meningitides should receive antibiotics (prophylaxis) to prevent them from getting the disease. This is if there is 1 household contact younger than 48 months who has not been fully immunized against Hib or a child with a weakened immune system, then the entire household, regardless of age, should receive prophylaxis.

Follow good hygiene practices:

• Wash your hands thoroughly and often.
• Clean contaminated surfaces with soap and water or a disinfecting solution.
• Cover your cough by coughing into your upper arm or using a tissue. After using a tissue, place it in the trash and wash your hands.
• Avoid kissing or sharing a drinking glass, eating utensil, lipstick, or other such items with sick people or with others when you are sick.
• Receiving vaccinations as recommended.
• Try to avoiding bites from mosquitoes and other insects that carry diseases that can infect humans.
• If you have a rodent infestation in and around your home, take cleaning and control precautions as recommended by the CDC.

The CDC and Texas State Department of Health Services provide the following general guidelines to determine when one can return to work after developing meningitis:

NOTE: Individuals who have had meningitis should stay away from school and work for as long as symptoms exist. This could be for an extended period of time. It is highly recommended that an individual seek guidance from their health care professional or the local health department to determine when it is appropriate to return to work or school.