Meningitis

The meninges surround and help to protect the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges that can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungus. The most serious is acute meningitis that can quickly lead to a serious illness requiring emergency intervention of antibiotics. Meningitis of viral origin often clears up on its own within two weeks. Determination of the type of meningitis a person has is done by culturing and analysis of spinal fluid sample. The most common symptoms of meningitis are severe headache, high fever, and stiff neck-which are all flu like symptoms. This could lead to meningitis being misdiagnosed as it could easily be mistaken for the flu or most any viral affliction. With infants, diagnosing is even more difficult as the symptoms babies present with could be almost any illness. List of symptoms of bacterial meningitis:

• Severe headache
• High fever
• Stiff neck 
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Light sensitivity
• Seizures
• Confusion or altered mental status
• Sleeping and difficult to wake
• Possible rash

List of symptoms of viral meningitis:

• Fever
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Joint ache

Several risk factors make some persons more likely to contract meningitis. These include person who are immune compromised, person living in close proximity (dorms, barracks, etc), people working with farm animals, and children under age 5.

Complications of untreated meningitis:

• Blindness
• Hearing loss
• Memory difficulties
• Speech difficulties
• Learning difficulties
• Behavior problems
• Paralysis
• Shock
• Brain damage
• Death

Bacteria that can cause meningitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Haemophilus influenzae. S. pneumoniae is a common culprit for several infections. This bacteria can cause pneumonia, but it is also common in children for causing ear infections. Ear infections, because of their proximity to the meninges, can be the source of bacteria causing meningitis if untreated. N meningitidis is the bacteria responsible for meningitis that spreads among teens or young adults living in close quarters. L. monocytogenes is a common bacteria found in farm animals. Persons contracting this type of meningitis usually resolve on their own without antibiotics. Listeria infections can, however, crossed the placental barrier and harm babies in late term pregnancy. 

Meningitis can also be contracted by the herpes virus, La Crosse virus, and West Nile virus. It may seem strange that so many life forms can cause meningitis- but remember, its a where, not a who. Pneumonia is similar, in that many forms of bacteria or virus can infect and harm the lungs. There are many causative agents for both illnesses, but the main focus is the space of inflammation or infected.

As stated before, meningitis can be tricky to diagnose by symptoms alone. It is even harder to diagnose in infants. If you believe you or a loved one suffered from complications due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose meningitis, you may be eligible for damages. Contact the Sweeney Law Firm and let us review the facts.  You may have a meningitis misdiagnosis medical malpractice case. There is no fee for representation unless there is a settlement or fee recovery made for you.