How is bacterial meningitis transmitted?
Although epidemics of meningitis do occur, mainly in the “meningitis belt” of central Africa, bacterial meningitis is mainly transmitted by carriers of either S. pneumoniae or N. meningitidis, via direct contact with their respiratory secretions. What are the symptoms of bacterial meningitis? The symptoms of meningitis are the same regardless of the cause: fever, headache, and stiff neck. As the disease advances, a rash may appear on the infected person, which are spots of dead tissue, destroyed by the invading bacteria. Meningitis is an extremely fast-moving infection- there have been cases of people feeling perfectly healthy in the morning and dead by nightfall. Should the above symptoms appear, it is crucial that you seek medical attention immediately. Because the symptoms of meningitis are identical regardless of whether the infection is caused by a virus or by bacteria, a laboratory diagnosis is crucial to treatment. In the case of a bacterial infection, laboratory tests will also
