What is the Meaning & Definition of Meningitis
Meningitis is an infectious disease that affects the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, usually a disease of extreme ages of life can produce serious complications and death who suffers from it.
The central nervous system consists of the brain located in the skull and the spinal cord that is located within the spinal column, the brain in turn consists of the brain, the brain stem and the cerebellum; all of these structures are covered by a membrane known as the meninges, in total there are three: the external is called dura mater, the innermost known as PIA mater and the intermediate is the arachnoid, there occurs the liquid spinal that he is responsible for the free space between the structures of the nervous system and bone coating that protects it , this liquid also plays an important role as a buffer.
Meningitis occurs when an organism infects the meninges. The most frequent form of meningitis is due to infection by virus, they are usually benign and transferred without leaving sequels, other germs involved are batteries and fungi, in these cases the infection is more severe and may lead to complications due to the production of chemical substances by these microorganisms or by the body's immune response to fight infection.
Bone of the central nervous system makes that there is no space to make the process of inflammation that usually accompanies any infection to occur, by which the various diseases affecting the central nervous system can produce a picture known as increased intracranial pressure that can affect the areas of the brain related to breath causing respiratory arrest that finally leads to death.
Meningitis is most common in children, they are due to virus and a bacterium known as Haemophilus influenzae, this type of meningitis can be prevented with the implementation of the corresponding vaccine. Adults are another type of germ, the most common is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, but the most serious form of meningitis is caused by a bacterium known as Neisseria meningitidis or meningococcus, she in a few hours is able to spread through the blood to the whole body causing a generalized infection or sepsis that bears the name of Meningococcemia This is a highly contagious form that has a high mortality rate.
In adults with compromised immune systems or those who are HIV-infected, primarily responsible for meningitis is a fungus known as Cryptococcus neoformans. In the elderly or people with debilitating chronic diseases, such as diabetes, meningitis is usually related to bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes.
Meningitis causes a number of symptoms that are classic, they are headache, fever, and stiffness in the neck, also may be present discomfort such as vomiting, photosensitivity and seizures. These discomforts are easy to identify in adults, in children under two years of age and the newly born is more difficult to recognize it so you must suspected meningitis in children with fever and persistent crying, other symptoms that should alert is that the child is irritable or drowsy, not eat well or has cupped the.
Before these symptoms diagnosis is confirmed with a test called a lumbar puncture, it is extracted a small amount of spinal fluid, through a puncture in the column, for analysis, this allows to identify the germ causing to define treatment specific.
Meningitis is a serious illness, should be diagnosed and treated promptly to avoid permanent sequelae such as deafness, learning disorders, seizures, brain damage and death who suffers from it.
The central nervous system consists of the brain located in the skull and the spinal cord that is located within the spinal column, the brain in turn consists of the brain, the brain stem and the cerebellum; all of these structures are covered by a membrane known as the meninges, in total there are three: the external is called dura mater, the innermost known as PIA mater and the intermediate is the arachnoid, there occurs the liquid spinal that he is responsible for the free space between the structures of the nervous system and bone coating that protects it , this liquid also plays an important role as a buffer.
Meningitis occurs when an organism infects the meninges. The most frequent form of meningitis is due to infection by virus, they are usually benign and transferred without leaving sequels, other germs involved are batteries and fungi, in these cases the infection is more severe and may lead to complications due to the production of chemical substances by these microorganisms or by the body's immune response to fight infection.
Bone of the central nervous system makes that there is no space to make the process of inflammation that usually accompanies any infection to occur, by which the various diseases affecting the central nervous system can produce a picture known as increased intracranial pressure that can affect the areas of the brain related to breath causing respiratory arrest that finally leads to death.
Meningitis is most common in children, they are due to virus and a bacterium known as Haemophilus influenzae, this type of meningitis can be prevented with the implementation of the corresponding vaccine. Adults are another type of germ, the most common is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, but the most serious form of meningitis is caused by a bacterium known as Neisseria meningitidis or meningococcus, she in a few hours is able to spread through the blood to the whole body causing a generalized infection or sepsis that bears the name of Meningococcemia This is a highly contagious form that has a high mortality rate.
In adults with compromised immune systems or those who are HIV-infected, primarily responsible for meningitis is a fungus known as Cryptococcus neoformans. In the elderly or people with debilitating chronic diseases, such as diabetes, meningitis is usually related to bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes.
Meningitis causes a number of symptoms that are classic, they are headache, fever, and stiffness in the neck, also may be present discomfort such as vomiting, photosensitivity and seizures. These discomforts are easy to identify in adults, in children under two years of age and the newly born is more difficult to recognize it so you must suspected meningitis in children with fever and persistent crying, other symptoms that should alert is that the child is irritable or drowsy, not eat well or has cupped the.
Before these symptoms diagnosis is confirmed with a test called a lumbar puncture, it is extracted a small amount of spinal fluid, through a puncture in the column, for analysis, this allows to identify the germ causing to define treatment specific.
Meningitis is a serious illness, should be diagnosed and treated promptly to avoid permanent sequelae such as deafness, learning disorders, seizures, brain damage and death who suffers from it.