What are the causes of bacterial meningitis?
In children over 3 to 4 months, the main bacteria that cause meningitis are: • Streptococcus pneumoniae (the most common) • Hemophilus Influenzae • Neisseria meningitidis (or meningococcus) The first 2 bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Hemophilus influenzae are also the main bacterial causes of ear and other respiratory infections including pneumonia and sinusitis. Menigococcus has been the cause of the recent outbreaks of “meningitis”. This particular infection is discussed below in greater detail. What are the symptoms of meningitis? In general children with meningitis look very ill and the specific signs and symptoms vary with age. In older children, the symptoms may include: • fever • stiff neck • headache • vomiting In younger children, especially babies less than 3 months, the symptoms are very non-specific. For example, irritability, poor feeding, increased sleepiness with or even without fever. It is therefore usually difficult to determine just by symptoms whether a baby
