Narayana Health Care
  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Oncology
  • Book An Appointment
    • Video Consultation
    • Physical Consultation
  • English
    • Hindi
    • Bengali
Narayana Health Care
  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Oncology
  • Book An Appointment
    • Video Consultation
    • Physical Consultation
  • English
    • Hindi
    • Bengali
Home > Blog > Neurology > Signs & Symptoms of Meningitis based on its Types
Neurology

Signs & Symptoms of Meningitis based on its Types

by Narayana Health May 28, 2020
written by Narayana Health May 28, 2020
Signs & Symptoms of Meningitis based on its Types | Narayana Health

According to some Indian Studies conducted by NCBI, meningitis is reported as one of the leading causes of deaths among children below five years of age accounting together to nearly 22.0% deaths. Hospital-based data reports that nearly 40–50% of meningitis result from Hib infection.

The term meninges accurately mean β€œmembrane”. These are the layers that surround the brain and spinal cord. This includes the most outer dura mater (inner to the skull), middle arachnoid mater, and innermost pia mater. The fluid that flows between these meninges is called the Cerebrospinal fluid.

Meningitis is the inflammation of meninges. This may most commonly be due to viral or bacterial infection.

In separate sections, we have already looked into the types and causes of meningitis, today we will discuss the signs and symptoms of meningitis pertaining to their types.

Symptoms may appear immediately within seven days and include:

  1. Viral Meningitis
  • Diminished appetite – Reduced intake of food
  • Irritability
  • Sleepiness – more than usual sleeping
  • Tiredness or exhaustion
  • Fever
  • Headaches – as severe as migraines
  • Stiff neck – one of the earliest presenting complaints
  • Seizures – Delayed symptoms once micro-organisms reach the brain and interfere with the normal neurological processes
  • Person act sensitive to bright light – due to interference with neurological processes the person becomes sensitive to light
  • Nausea and vomiting
  1. Bacterial Meningitis
  • Changed mental status due to bacteria reaching the brain and interfere with the normal neurological processes releasing chemicals that cause a state of confusion
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light due to meningitis interfered neurological processes
  • Irritability
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Stiff neck
  • Purple bruised areas of skin
  • Sleepiness
  • Laziness

Infants and children with Bacterial meningitis present as:

  • Breathing short rapidly
  • Reject feeds and is irritable
  • Scream unreasonably in a high-pitched moan
  • Present pale yellow or has jaundice
  • Present with an outward fontanelle
  • Present stiff, with spasmodic movements
  • Is lethargic and tired all the time
  • Present with weak sucking while breastfeeding
  • Presents following cold or flu
  1. Fungal Meningitis
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Confusion or disorientation

Apart from fungal, bacterial, and viral symptoms, signs and symptoms vary with age and sex too.

Adult Meningitis:

  • Adults are at a lesser risk than children and elderly
  • Young adults sharing the same living space are a higher risk
  • Women present with a delayed age of onset than men

Round glass test:

A typical rash is produced by bacterial meningitis due to the involvement of capillaries and resultant blood leaks. It gets severe as the infection spreads. It may spread rapidly and is identified by pressing the side of a glass firmly on the rash. If the rash fades it does not represent a meningeal rash, otherwise, it is.

Prevention:

Prophylactic meningococcal conjugate vaccines are existing for bacterial meningitis. It may have a series of side effects at the time of vaccination but it provides a more widespread and longer protection against meningitis. This vaccine is recommended for a risk population.

  • People mass living together like that in dorms, camps and the like
  • Adolescents around eleven years
  • People travelling to African or middle eastern countries
  • Toddlers who are immune-compromised or has no spleen

Complications – if untreated the patient may present with certain severe manifestations presented as:

  • Convulsions or seizures
  • Loss of hearing
  • Loss of vision
  • Abnormal gait
  • Memory issues
  • Migraine
  • Kidney failure
  • Arthritis
  • Brain tissue impairment
  • Hydrocephalus
  • A subdural empyema or fluid between the brain and the skull
  • Sepsis
  • Gangrene
  • Shock
  • Death

I hope the above write-up must have added your knowledge base about the symptoms and clinical presentation of different types of meningitis. Awareness is yet another form of presentation. Stay aware!!

Dr. Amit Shrivastava | Senior Consultant – Neurology |Β Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Delhi

adult meningitisBacterial MeningitisbrainFungal MeningitismembraneMeningitisspinal cordViral meningitis
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp
previous post
What are Recommended Cholesterol Levels by Age?
next post
Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest vs Heart Failure

You may also like

Vertigo

May 20, 2022

When to know Headache is serious?

April 26, 2022

All you need to know about Autism

April 2, 2022

Epilepsy Awareness

December 31, 2021

Cervicogenic Headaches

October 21, 2021

What are the types of migraines?

October 20, 2021

Trigeminal Neuralgia What is it?

October 19, 2021

Muscular Dystrophy Treatment, Types, Causes: All you need...

August 23, 2021

Multiple Sclerosis Causes, Symptoms, Treatment: A Quick Guide

August 7, 2021

Alzheimer’s disease

June 22, 2021
1 2 3 … 243

About NH

Narayana Health

Narayana Health is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, and operates a network of hospitals across the country, with a particularly strong presence in the southern state of Karnataka and eastern India, as well as an emerging presence in northern, western and central India. Our first facility was established in Bengaluru with approximately 225 operational beds and we have since grown to 23 hospitals, 7 heart centres, 19 primary care facilities across India and an international hospital in the Cayman Islands.

Keep In Touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube Telegram

Tell us your Medical Query

    [recaptcha]


    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Boosting your Immune System against Coronavirus: How to minimize the risk of...

      April 2, 2020
    • 2

      Coronavirus Testing – How to Test for Coronavirus? – Different Types of Tests

      March 13, 2020
    • 3

      How to maintain a Balanced Diet

      September 3, 2019
    • 4

      Know about proper usage, disposal and reuse of mask

      April 6, 2020

    Categories

    • Aids (5)
    • Bengali (1)
    • Blood Pressure (4)
    • Bone marrow transplant (12)
    • Breast Cancer (31)
    • Cancer (38)
    • Cardiac Surgery (26)
    • Cardiology (157)
    • Coronavirus (107)
    • Dental Sciences (1)
    • Dermatology (13)
    • Diabetes (37)
    • E. N. T – Paediatric (6)
    • E. N. T. (3)
    • ECMO (1)
    • Endocrinology (9)
    • Gastroenterology (28)
    • General Health (59)
    • General Surgery (4)
    • Gynaecology (42)
    • Haematology (5)
    • Health Nuggets (23)
    • Healthy Life (1)
    • Hepatology (14)
    • Hindi (6)
    • Infectious Diseases (3)
    • Kidney (4)
    • Liver (30)
    • Medical Oncology (1)
    • Mental Health (2)
    • Narayana Health (226)
    • Nephrology (33)
    • Neurology (95)
    • Neurosurgery (30)
    • News (9)
    • NH services (6)
    • Nutrition and diet (22)
    • Oncology (99)
    • Organ Donation (1)
    • Orthopaedics (98)
    • Paediatric Cardiology (13)
    • Paediatric Liver Transplant (1)
    • Paediatric Oncology (3)
    • Paediatric Surgery (5)
    • Paediatrics (67)
    • Pain & Palliative Care (4)
    • Pregancy (8)
    • Psychology (4)
    • Pulmonology (27)
    • Radiation Oncology (7)
    • Rheumatology (3)
    • Services (6)
    • Spine Surgery (30)
    • Stroke (5)
    • Swine Flu (1)
    • Transplant (1)
    • Urology (36)
    • Vascular Surgery (10)

    Follow us

    QUICK LINKS

    Find a Doctor

    Book an Appointment

    Make an Enquiry

    Feedback

    Hospitals

    Blogs

    Privilege card

    Heart Rhythm Disorder

    NH CARES

    Hernia

    Lung Cancer

    Brain Tumour

    Liver Cancer

    Heart Attack

    Urinary Problems

    Heart Transplant

    Kidney Transplant

    Bone Marrow Transplant

    Pulmonary Hypertension

    CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

    Liver Transplant & HPB Surgery

    Cardiology

    Cardiac Surgery

    Neurology

    Neurosurgery

    Orthopaedics

    Robotic Surgery

    Vascular Surgery

    Nephrology

    Radiation Oncology

    MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

    Academics

    Clinical Research

    NH Colleges

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

    Subscribe to our Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

    About Narayana Health

    |

    Stakeholder Relations

    |

    News & Media Relations

    |

    Awards and Accreditations

    |

    Leadership

    |

    Careers

    |

    CSR

    |

    Sitemap

    Β© Narayana Hrudayalaya Ltd | All rights reserved
    NPPA Implant Pricing     Terms & Conditions     Privacy Policy     Disclaimer

    Book Online Consultation