Meningitis

Meningitis is derived from the term membrane inflammation. Bacterial meningitis is an infection and inflammation of the meninges surrounding your brain and spinal cord. It is a very serious infection resulting in over 300 deaths every year in the US alone. It was discovered by William Osler.

As the name suggests bacterial meningitis is caused by bacteria. There are a number of different types of bacterium that can cause meningitis, e.g. Haemophilus influenza b (Hib), Neisseria meningitidis (commonly known as meningococcal) and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The bacteria are commonly spread by close contact with an infected person. Other ways to contract the infection include; ear infections, nasal infections and skull fractures. Most of the time the bacteria can remain in a person and the person will not get meningitis but in rare instances the bacteria can break the bodies defences and infect the area around the spinal cord. This causes the area to become swollen and inflamed.

Once...