Antibiotics will be prescribed for bacterial meningitis; the type will vary depending on the infecting organism. Antibiotics are not effective in Viral Meningitis. Treatment of secondary symptoms including brain swelling, shock, and seizures will require other medications and intravenous fluids. Hospitalization may be required depending on the severity of the illness and the needed treatment.
The bacterial form of spinal meningitis has a high death rate if left untreated, so it requires immediate medical attention. This type can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important, however, that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common bacterial types of spinal meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from the infection to below 15 percent, although the risk is higher among the elderly.
No specific treatment for the viral type exists at this time. Most people completely recover on their own. Doctors often will recommend :
- Bed rest
- Plenty of fluids
- Medicine to relieve fever and headache.
Transmission of Spinal Meningitis
Some bacterial forms of spinal meningitis are contagious and can be spread through contact with:
- Saliva
- Nasal discharge
- Feces
- Respiratory and throat secretions (often spread through kissing, coughing, or sharing drinking glasses, eating utensils, or personal items such as toothbrushes or lipstick).
People sharing a classroom, daycare center, or household with an infected person can become infected. College students (in particular, college freshmen) living in dormitories have a higher risk of contracting meningococcal meningitis than college students overall.
Children without access to childhood vaccines are at increased risk of developing certain bacterial types of spinal meningitis.
Signs and tests
- Lumbar puncture with CSF glucose measurement and CSF cell count
- Gram-stain and culture of CSF (cerebral spinal fluid)
- Chest x-ray to look for other sites of infection
- Head CT scan looking for hydrocephalus, abscess or deep swelling
