Symptoms
The symptoms of meningitis may vary, but the most common symptoms include:
- Fever: A high fever is often the first symptom of meningitis.
- Headache: Meningitis is often accompanied by a severe headache.
- Stiff neck: Children with meningitis may have a stiff neck, which can make it difficult to touch their chin to their chest.
- Rash: Some children with meningitis may develop a rash, which may be red or purple in color.
- Other symptoms: Other common symptoms of meningitis include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and altered mental status.
Causes
Meningitis can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. Viral meningitis is more common and is usually less severe than bacterial meningitis. Viral meningitis is often caused by viruses, such as enteroviruses, which are common in the summer and fall. Bacterial meningitis is more serious and is caused by bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Neisseria meningitidis. Bacterial meningitis is most commonly found in children and can be spread through close contact with an infected person or through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.