Bacterial Meningitis

By: Joseph Olivieri and Jose De La Cruz

What is Bacterial Meningitis?

• It is a swelling of tissue around your brain or spinal cord, not allowing blood flow

• Bacterial • Been around for more than 190 years

Symptoms

• Adults: Fever, vomiting, headache, confusion, seizures, stiff neck and joint pain

• Children: Refusing food, being very lethargic, arching back, high pitch moaning, cold hands, and feet

• Doctors must perform a spinal tap, also known as a lumbar puncture to identify the disease

• Spinal tap allows doctors to examine the cerebrospinal fluid to see if it contains meningitis causing bacteria.

• Appear through rash

How is it spread?

• Bacterial Meningitis can be spread through direct contact with nose and throat secretions.

• Sharing a glass• Sharing an eating utensil • Coughing or sneezing in another persons face• Sharing a cigarette

Bacterial Meningitis

History of Bacterial Meningitis

• First recorded in Geneva in 1805 • Deadly outbreak in Africa from 1904-1905

caused many deaths

Who is most susceptible?

• Children between one month and two years • Adults: higher risk if abuse of alcohol • Chronic nose and ear infections • Sustain a head injury • Or have pneumococcal pneumonia. • May occur if you had brain or spinal surgery • Occur in close living conditions such as:• Military barracks • College dormitories

Citations

• Bacterial Meningitis. [Bethesda, Md.]: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, 1984. Print.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Mar. 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

• "History of Meningitis." History of Meningitis. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

• Smith, Jessica. "What Is Bacterial Meningitis?" Health Wellness RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

• Tunkel, Allan R. Bacterial Meningitis. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2001. Print.