Essay --

Meningitis is defined as inflammation of the meninges, which are the thin membranous blanket of the brain and spinal cord. There are distinguishable variations of the disease which include bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, and non-infectious. Bacterial meningitis is severe in most cases. Many people fully tame but for those who are less fortunate it may cause brain damage leading to learning disabilities and hearing loss. There are many different pathogens that cause bacterial meningitis. The most common here in the United States are Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, group B Streptococcus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Neisseria meningitidis. These bacteria can be patrimonial through direct contact with the nose and throat secretions of an infected person. The main reservoirs for these bacteria are humans but can also be the environment, mainly from the soil. In order to determine if a person has bacterial meningitis blood and cerebrospinal fluid are coll ected and analyzed by a laboratory. one time it is confirmed that bacteria are present they are then cultured to determine what type of bacteria are present. This lets doctors know how to treat the disease. The discovery of meningitis dates second to the 1800s. The first evidence that linked bacterial infection as a cause of meningitis was written by Austrian pathologist Anton Weichselbaum. He was the one to single out the causative agent of cerebrospinal meningitis. He named this bacterium Diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis. The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear rapidly over several geezerhood. Normally they develop within 3-7 days after exposure to the bacteria. Signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis can occur suddenly and they include headac... ...ents. This puts you more at risk for expose to bacteria to the filth of others around you. gestation can also be titled as a risk factor. Youre at increased risk of contracting listeriosis which is an inf ection caused by listeria bacteria. This bacterium may also cause meningitis. If you have listeriosis, your unborn baby is also at high risk of catching meningitis. The last risk factor that Im going to discuss is kick downstairsed immune systems. Some factors that may cause a weakened immune system are AIDS, alcoholism, diabetes, and certain drugs. When these factors weaken the immune system your body cannot prevent infection. In fact it is very easy to contract meningitis with the above health issues.In conclusion meningitis is not something to extend lightly. Stay vaccinated and take preventative actions because this disease is wide spread and can be fatal.