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Chemical irritationDrug allergiesFungiParasitesTumors

It usually occurs in the late summer and early fall.

Symptoms usually come on quickly, and may include:

Haemophilus vaccine (HiB vaccine) given to children helpsPneumococcal vaccine is given to children and adultsMeningococcal vaccines is given to children and adults; some communities hold vaccination campaigns after an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis. Household members and others in close contact with people who have meningococcal meningitis should receive antibiotics to prevent becoming infected.

Fever and chills, especially in newborns and childrenMental status changesNausea and vomitingSensitivity to light (photophobia)Severe headacheStiff neck (meningismus)

Fluids through a vein (IV)Medicines to treat symptoms, such as brain swelling, shock, and seizures

Without prompt treatment

Brain damageBuildup of fluid between the skull and brain (subdural effusion)Hearing lossHydrocephalusSeizures

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial meningitis

any types of viruses can cause meningitis:Enteroviruses: These are viruses that also can cause intestinal illness.Herpes viruses: These are the same viruses that can cause cold sores and genital herpes. However, people with cold sores or genital herpes do not have a higher chance of developing herpes meningitis.Mumps and HIV viruses can cause aseptic meningitis.West Nile virus: This virus is spread by mosquito bites and has become a cause of viral meningitis in most of the United States.

the provider thinks you have meningitis, a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) should be done to remove a sample of spinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) for testing.Other tests that may be done include:Blood cultureChest x-rayCT scan of the head

Meningococcal disease is caused by the bacteria neisseria meningitidis

ent.  Our universities—many universities have very high coverage with the licensed and recommended vaccine that protects against serogroup C and Y. So we started to see fewer cases of serogroup C and Y meningococcal disease and more cases of serogroup B disease.

Reports of this disease is more common in the winter months.  Typically almost all cases of meningococcal disease are sporadic.  Very few cases occur as part of our -- as part of an outbreak in terms of the total number of cases we see in the United States.  But we do see a couple of meningococcal disease outbreaks typically every year.

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, which is known as the meninges. 

Septicemia is an infection of the blood stream, and septicemia causes bleeding in the skin and organs and is often when we see complications from meningococcal disease that are not neurologic, it's frequently caused by septicemia.

bout 15 percent of survivors have long term disabilities such as loss of limbs, deafness, nervous system problems, or brain damage.  Early recognition and early treatment of meningococcal disease is key to reduce the long-term sequelae. 

ten difficult to diagnose meningococcal disease because often the first signs and symptoms are similar to the flu

even with antibiotic treatment, people die in about 10 to 15 percent of cases of meningococcal disea

Vaccination is the best way to prevent meningococcal disease when it's a vaccine preventable strain.  Hand washing and covering your coughs or sneezes is also a good practice to follow.  It's critical everybody be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease and to seek treatment immediately. 

igns and symptoms of meningococcal disease include rapid onset of high fever, headache, and stiff neck.  And when we say headache, we mean it's among the worst headaches that somebody's had in their life.  And with the stiff neck, they really can't move their neck, or they can't, for example, touch their chin to their neck.  Towards their chest, excuse me.  Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, confusion, exhaustion, and sometimes a rash.

eningococcal bacteria are harder to spread than viruses

don't live long outside the body. 

pread through the exchange of respiratory secretions. 

oommates who spend a lot of time together, are potential close contacts of a case of meningococcal disease.

about 10 percent of people, not just in outbreaks, but all over in the United States, carry these bacteria in the back of their nose or throat and don't ever develop symptoms.  This is known as carriage or being a carrier.

nce a person becomes a carrier, most people develop immunity and the bacteria disappear from their nose and throat and then they're no longer a carrier.  But rarely, the bacteria invades the blood stream and this is what happens when a person develops the disease.

most cases of meningococcal disease appear to be random and aren't directly linked to each other.  Even in the case of an outbreak—the cases are not occurring among close contact with each other, it's happening in an organization or community. 

he most common one circulating in the United States are serogroups B, C and Y. 

e don't have a vaccine in the U.S. licensed to protect against serogroup B, which is the cause of the cases at Princeton University and UC Santa Barbara. 

Cases are reported quickly, meningococcal disease is highly recognized, and reported to health departments. 

CDC defines an outbreak of meningococcal disease of three or more cases in three months that can't be connected to each other.

these outbreaks occur in a certain population, like school or organizations.  Most outbreaks of this disease are self-limited and no more than three or four cases occur.  However, when cases continue to occur over several-month period, like what is happening at Princeton University, intervention is required to reduce the length of the outbreak. 

equesting use of vaccine for additional outbreaks when needed.

Partners are working hard to organize potential serogroup B vaccine campaigns at Princeton University as quickly as possible. 

o there's all sorts of quality things that are happening to make sure that the vaccine arrives and can be used safely and effectively.

Therefore, we are sending out a health alert to providers and state and local health departments, which will hopefully increase awareness for providers to consider meningococcal disease in their differential diagnosis, if a student presents with symptoms from one of these two universities. 

Serogroup is definitely a scientific word to describe the type of capsule around the meningococcal.  You can use the word strain when we describe different serogroups.  The word strain would be the b strain or c strain.  When we're talking about whether or not strains are linked to each other, there we do additional molecular testing which looks at more than the capsule to see if the strains are the same.  For example, we know that the strains that have caused all of the cases in -- at Princeton are identical.  That's what helps us understand if an outbreak is being caused by one strain.  And that doesn't necessarily mean you could have the same serogroup, but the strains could look a little different. 

f anything, it's just sorting reminding people to use good normal hygiene practices, such as washing your hands and coughing and sneezing into your arm.  And sort of having increased awareness for good hygiene practices. 

ases really do occur in this university setting where there's probably a very specific pattern of transmission among college students.  So we really don't have evidence to suggest that kids going home for Thanksgiving will be spreading the strain into those communities. 

here have been seven confirmed serogroup B cases at Princeton University, and one additional case in which additional testing is being conducted right now.  And there are three cases at UC Santa Barbara. 

But more people are carriers than there are actually cases.  I see what your question is, why are we not then worried about it spreading into the community.  We don't have a good -- we don't have a great understanding of the organism and how it spreads.  But what we do understand is that outbreaks really haven’t spread from universities into communities in the past.  There have been community outbreaks of meningococcal disease.  But we haven't seen cases occurring in universities expanding into those communities. 

So in most of our outbreaks, we see about three or four cases occur in a couple of month period of time and then we don't see additional cases.  Depending on the size of the college or organization in which the outbreak is occurring, those attack rates usually range anywhere from 10 to 20 per 100,000.  So one to two cases per 1,000 people at the university. 

Health officials follow up with a patient to see if they've come into close contact and then they recommend preventive antibiotics to close contacts.

Fever and chillsMental status changesNausea and vomitingSensitivity to light (photophobia)Severe headacheStiff neck (meningismus)

Antibiotics do not treat viral meningitis.

Viral meningitis is usually not serious, and symptoms should disappear within 2 weeks with no lasting complications.

If you think that you or your child has symptoms of meningitis, get emergency medical help immediately. Early treatment is key to a good outcome.

Haemophilus vaccine (HiB vaccine) in children helps prevent one type of bacterial meningitis.

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is now a routine childhood immunization. It is very effective at preventing pneumococcal meningitis

acterial meningitis infections are extremely serious, and may result in death or brain damage,

eningococcal vaccination is recommended for:Adolescents ages 11 - 12 and adolescents entering high school (about age 15) who have not already received the vaccination. A booster shot is given between age 16-18.All college freshmen who have not been vaccinated and are living in dorms. Children age 2 and older who do not have their spleen or who have other problems with their immune system.Those traveling to countries where diseases caused by meningococcus are very common (ask your doctor).

eople with cold sores or genital herpes are not at a greater risk of developing herpes meningitis.

AgitationBulging fontanelles in babies Decreased alertnessPoor feeding or irritability in childrenRapid breathing

causes of meningitis are viral infections that usually get better without treatment.

k arched backwards (opisthotonos)

Fast heart rateFeverMental status changesStiff neckIf the hea

Brain damage

Buildup of fluid between the skull and brain (subdural effusion)Hearing lossHydrocephalus

Seizures

Unusual posture, with the head and nec

Meningitis is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges)

Meningitis may also be caused by:

Chemical irritationDrug allergiesFungiParasitesTumors

Certain diseases, medications, and surgical procedures may weaken the immune system and increase your risk of getting fungal infection, which can lead to fungal meningitis. Premature babies with very low birth weights are also at increased risk for getting Candida blood stream infection, which may spread to the brain.

FeverHeadacheStiff neckNausea and vomitingPhotophobia (sensitivity to light)Altered mental status (confusion)

Fungal meningitis is treated with long courses of high dose antifungal medications

NauseaVomitingPhotophobia (sensitivity to light)Altered mental status (confusion)

4,100 cases of bacterial meningitis,

500 deaths,

within 3-7 days after exposure.

abies younger than 1 month

The most effective way to protect you and your child against certain types of bacterial meningitis is to complete the recommended vaccine schedule.

Age GroupCausesNewbornsGroup B Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenesInfants and ChildrenStreptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae type bAdolescents and Young AdultsNeisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniaeOlder AdultsStreptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Listeria monocytogenes

ually severe.

Bacterial meningitis is us

Tumors

Viral meningitis can be caused by herpes viruses

Viral meningitis occurs more often than bacterial meningitis, and is milder. It usually occurs in the late summer and early fall. It most often affects children and adults under age 30. 

Symptoms usually come on quickly, a

You will need immediate treatment in a hospital

Meningitis is an important cause of fever in children and newborns.

a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) should be done to remove a sample of spinal fluid

Fever

Mental status changes

Fast heart rate

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial meningitis. The specific type depends on which bacteria is causing the infection. Antibiotics do not treat viral meningitis.

Other treatments will include:Fluids through a vein (IV)Medicines to treat symptoms such as brain swelling, shock, and seizures

bacterial meningitis is essential to prevent permanent neurological damage. Viral meningitis is usually not serious, and symptoms should disappear within 2 weeks with no lasting complications.

Brain damage

Buildup of fluid between the skull and brain (subdural effusion)

Seizures

Haemophilus vaccine

in close contact with people who have meningococcal meningitis should receive antibiotics to prevent becoming infected.

Adolescents ages 11 - 12 a

hildren age 2 and older who do not have their spleen or who have other problems with their immune system

where diseases caused by meningococcus are very common