A Guide to Types and Causes of Meningitis

by Rahul Singh Content Writer

Meningitis is a rare infection which causes acute inflammation in the delicate membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord called meninges. It occurs when the fluid surrounding the meninges becomes infected. There are several types of meningitis, like bacterial, viral and fungal, each corresponding to the causal microbial agent. Out of these, bacterial meningitis is the most dangerous and can be life threatening, and spreads with close contact between people. Viral meningitis tends to be less severe, and most people recover from it without as much as a medical intervention. Fungal meningitis is a rarer form of this disease, which usually develops in people with weakened immune systems.

Other Causes

Apart from the above mentioned microbial causal agents, there are some less common causes of meningitis as well, these include:

· Fungal infections

· Syphilis

· Autoimmune disorders

· Tuberculosis

· Cancer medications

· Cancer

· Drug allergies

· Chemical irritation

The Types of Meningitis

The different types of meningitis have already been mentioned above, here are details about them:

· Bacterial Meningitis: Bacterial meningitis is an extremely serious illness. Medical help is needed right away, or the disease can be life threatening or cause brain damage. Several different bacteria can be responsible for meningitis. The most common ones include:

o Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus

o Neisseria meningitidis or meningococcus

o Listeria monocytogenes

Bacterial meningitis occurs when bacteria get into the bloodstream and travel through the bloodstream to the brain.

· Viral Meningitis: Viral meningitis is more common than the bacterial form and is mostly, but not all the time, less severe than bacterial meningitis. There are many viruses which can trigger the disease, including several of those that can cause diarrhoea. Enterovirus category is one which causes 85 percent of all cases. These are more common during summer and fall, and include viruses like coxsackievirus A, coxsackievirus B and echoviruses.

· Fungal Meningitis: Fungal meningitis is much less common than the other two types of meningitis. Healthy people, with strong immune systems rarely get this form of the disease. Someone with a weak immune system, or a problem affecting the immune system, like AIDS, for example,is more likely to become infected with this form of meningitis. The fungi responsible for fungal meningitis, which is also called cryptococcal meningitis include Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gatti.

Meningitis is a neurological disorder, treatable by a neurologist. The best neurologists in India can be found in top multi-facility super-speciality hospitals in Gurgaon, Delhi and NCR. There are top neurologist doctors in Patna as well, available in top hospitals in Patna in Bihar.