Can You Catch Bacterial Meningitis?
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It seems that every year there is a story about this disease, and usually it has to do with college students. After hearing about the sudden death of a student at my daughter’s college just recently (due to bacterial meningitis), I thought it might be appropriate to relay some information to those of you who read this blog. Do you know what it is, and what symptoms to look for?
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person’s spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis. There are two types of Meningitis – viral and bacterial. Bacterial meningitis is the most severe form of the disease, which must be caught in its early stages and treated with the appropriate antibiotic.
Signs of meningitis include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity and sleepiness. The symptoms can develop over several hours, or could take 1 to 2 days. Many times the symptoms can be mistaken for the flu – which has been the case in several cases involving college students. If there is any suspicion however slight, or if the symptoms, especially stiff neck, aches and/or sensitivity to light are present, immediate medical attention should be sought.
Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria are spread through respiratory and throat secretions – like coughing or kissing. However, the bacteria that cause meningitis are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been, as with the common cold or flu.
Unfortunately though, sometimes the bacteria that cause meningitis have spread to other people who have had close contact with a person having meningitis. People in the same household, or anyone with direct contact with a patient’s oral secretions (like a boyfriend or girlfriend) would be considered at increased risk of getting meningitis. These people should contact their doctor and get antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease.
There is a vaccine that is sometimes used to control outbreaks of some types of meningococcal meningitis in the United States. Information about reported cases of meningitis and the availability of an effective vaccine should be available through your state or local health departments. Everyone, especially students entering college, should consult with their regular physician in regard to the availability of a safe and effective vaccine which may decrease their risk.
This would also be a good time to mention that college students should find and visit a doctor close to where they are living while attending college, in case of any illness or emergency.
