How meningitis spreads - everything about the disease
Often people have questions about what kind ofillness and whether it is possible to catch a meningitis? In fact, it is nothing more than an inflammation of the membranes of the human brain and spinal cord. This word comes from the Greek language, consists of two parts, which mean "brain envelope" and "inflammatory process".
How does meningitis spread?
It is an infectious disease,most often caused by bacteria, various viruses and fungi. In addition, the source of infection can be and healthy people who are bacilli carriers. This disease spreads most often through water or dirty fruits. Foci of infection can occur in a separate district or several cities at the same time. The disease is transmitted mainly by airborne droplets, but it is quite possible to get infected through items that were in use in the patient: toys, linens and other things.
You need to know how meningitis spreads toavoid getting infected with it. Pathogens fall into the brain space with blood and lymph. If the patient has an infection of the upper respiratory tract, then it will only contribute to the development of the disease. How meningitis spreads, you now know, but also I would like to clarify that it can appear against the background of other, not such serious diseases. It can be inflammation of the ear or sinuses of the nose, craniocerebral trauma, etc.
Symptoms of meningitis
But these are not all symptoms. There are a number of such that are peculiar only to this disease. For example, the inability due to contraction of the neck muscles tilts the head forward. Patients do not tolerate too bright light and very loud sounds. In a person with weak immunity, meningitis occurs either as an easy infection with severe headache and fever, or manifests as a rapidly growing coma. In the diagnosis of the disease, the laboratory examination of cerebrospinal fluid is crucial, which is taken by puncture of the spine in the lumbar region. Her pressure is usually increased, and if meningitis is purulent, then such fluid is turbid.
What to do?
How meningitis spreads, it is understandable. But what to do if you suspect it? It is necessary to deliver the sick person to the hospital urgently, where he will be placed in a specialized department or an isolated box will be allocated. Often at the initial stages of this disease, resuscitation and intensive care are necessary.
What is dangerous meningitis?
Ill in the worst case can die. The consequences of the disease may also be hearing loss, increased intracranial pressure, decreased vision, psychopathy, decreased intelligence, or epileptic seizures. Children can delay development, including mental. The severity of all the consequences of the disease depends primarily on its variety, on the timeliness of the treatment and on the degree of brain damage. Not so long ago it was fixed epidemic of meningitis in Moscow, so many have learned how serious this infection is.
