How Does Someone Get Meningitis?
The body has natural defenses against infections — and usually even if someone comes across a virus or bacteria that can cause meningitis, the body can fight it off. Everyone has lots of germs living on and in their bodies. Most of the time, these germs don’t cause any illness. In fact, some of them, like some of the bacteria normally found in the intestines, help the body to work properly. However, some germs do cause infections. If a person gets an infection, the body’s immune system will go to work to fight it. That’s why you might feel sick one day, but then you start to feel better. The immune system is doing its job. Some germs, however, are tricky. They can outsmart the body’s defenses and spread inside of the body. Some of these germs can even invade the central nervous system, infecting the meninges and causing meningitis.
