How do people catch bacterial meningitis?
While bacterial meningitis and septicaemia are rare, the bacteria which actually cause the diseases are quite common, with 10 percent of people (and 10 to 30 percent of young adults) carrying the meningococcal bacteria and up to 60 percent of people carrying the pneumococcal bacteria at any time. These bacteria normally live harmlessly at the back of the nose and throat and can only be passed from person to person in nasal or oral droplets, for example by kissing or sneezing. Even when passed on they are unlikely to cause any problems, as most people have a natural resistance to the bacteria. These bacteria can only survive outside the body for a short period of time and can not live long in the air or on household objects such as clothes or furniture. Scientists don’t yet fully understand why bacteria which are harmless to most of us, cross into the bloodstream and turn into deadly killers. Finding out the answer to this will help our researchers develop a vaccine to prevent people ag
