The word meningitis means any inflammation of the meninges, the membranes filled with blood vessels that cover and protect the spinal cord and brain.
Viral ("aseptic") meningitis is serious but rarely fatal in persons with normal immune systems. Usually, the symptoms last from 7 to 10 days and the patient recovers completely. Bacterial meningitis, on the other hand, can be very serious and result in disability or death if not treated promptly. Often, the symptoms of viral meningitis and bacterial meningitis are the same. For this reason, if you think you or your child has meningitis, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid in the spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. Meningitis is usually caused by an infection with a virus or a bacterium. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or a bacterium is important because of differences in the seriousness of the illness and the treatment needed.
- Viral meningitis [VI-rul men-in-GI-tis] is a relatively common but rarely serious infection of the fluid in the spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain.
- Viral meningitis is caused by any of a number of different viruses, many of which are associated with other diseases. Mosquito-borne viruses can also cause viral meningitis.
- There is no specific treatment for viral meningitis. The illness is usually mild and clears up in about a week.
- Prevention centers on washing hands thoroughly and often and avoiding mosquito bites.
The viruses that cause viral meningitis are contagious. Enteroviruses, for example, are very common during the summer and early fall, and many people are exposed to them. However, most infected persons either have no symptoms or develop only a cold or rash with low-grade fever. Only a small proportion of infected persons actually develop meningitis. Therefore, if you are around someone who has viral meningitis, you have a moderate chance of becoming infected, but a very small chance of developing meningitis.
