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Meningitis
Meningitisiswhenthemembranesthatsurroundthebrainandspinalcord(meninges)become infected.Meningitiscanbecausedbybacteriaorviruses.Youmustgettreatmentimmediately becausemeningitiscancausedeath. Immunisationcanprotectagainstsomeformsofmeningitis. Bacterial meningitis Meningitiscausedbybacteriaiscalledbacterialmeningitis.Theorganisms(germs)thatcause bacterialmeningitismayliveinthenoseandthroat.Peopleofanyagecancarrythemwithout becomingill,buttheycaninfectothersthroughcoughingorsneezing.Meningitiscausedbythese bacteriaisseriousandrequiresverypromptmedicalattention. Somecommonexamplesofbacterialmeningitisare: Haemophilus (Hib) meningitiscausedbyHaemophilus influenzae typeb. Meningococcal meningitiscausedbyNeisseria meningitides. Pneumococcal meningitiscausedbyStreptococcus pneumoniae.

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Meningitiscausedbybacteriaisserious.Antibioticsareusedtotreattheinfectionbutdeathdoes occurinasmallnumberofthoseaffected:Hib(5%),meningococcal(7%)andpneumococcal meningitis(20%).Oneinfivechildrenareleftwithpermanentdisabilities,suchascerebralpalsy anddeafness. Viralmeningitis Meningitiscausedbyavirusiscalledviralmeningitis.Thistypeofmeningitisisrelativelycommon andcanoccasionallybeserious.Itcanbecausedbyavarietyofdifferentviruses.Itisoftena complicationofanotherviralillness. Someofthevirusesthatcancausemeningitisinclude: Enteroviruses Coxsackieviruses Mumpsvirus Adenovirus.

Signs and symptoms babies and young children Thesymptomsandsignsofmeningitisinbabiesandyoungchildreninclude: Fever Refusingfeeds Fretfulness Beingdifficulttowake Purpleredskinrashorbruising Highmoaningcry Paleorblotchyskin.

Signs and symptoms older children and adults Thesymptomsandsignsofmeningitisinadultsandolderchildreninclude: Headache Fever Vomiting

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Neckstiffnessandjointpains Drowsinessandconfusion Purpleredskinrashorbruising Discomfortlookingatbrightlights(photophobia).

Diagnosis Yourdoctoristheonlypersonwhocanmakeadiagnosistodetermineifmeningitisisviralor bacterial.Meningitisissometimesdifficulttodiagnose.Yourdoctormayorderseveraltestsorseek specialistadvice.Thediagnosismayinclude: Takingadetailedhistoryofsignsandsymptoms Clinicalexamination Bloodtests Alumbarpuncture,whichmaybedoneinhospital(spinalfluidisremovedusinganeedle andexaminedforbacteria).

Preventing bacterial meningitis Someformsofmeningitiscanbepreventedbyimmunisation: Haemophilus influenzae type bcanbepreventedwithHibvaccine,whichisofferedto allinfantsinAustralia. Meningococcal group C avaccineisnowavailablethatcangivelong-lastingprotection againstgroupCmeningococcaldisease,whichisoneofthemostcommongroupsin Australia.Unfortunately,novaccineisavailableforgroupBmeningococcaldisease,which isalsoacommontypeofmeningococcalbacteriainAustralia. Pneumococcal diseasetwotypesofvaccineareavailable.Theyareavailabletoanyone inthecommunitybutareprovidedfreeforcertainhigh-riskgroups,includingallbabies andadults65yearsofageandover. Types not common in Australia vaccinesareavailablefortravellerstocoversome formsofmeningitisthatarenotcommoninAustralia.

Preventing viral meningitis Youcanpreventthespreadofmanyviralinfectionsbyusingahandkerchiefandwashingyour handsthoroughlyafterusingthetoilet.Youshouldalsoavoidclosecontact,sneezingandcoughing overotherpeopleifyouhaveaviralinfection. Treatment for bacterial meningitis Earlyandrapiddiagnosisisveryimportantinthetreatmentofbacterialmeningitis.Treatmentmay include: Antibiotics(oftengivenintravenously) Hospitalcare Anticonvulsant,cortisoneandsedativemedications,whichmaybeusedtotreat complications.

Treatment for viral meningitis Treatmentdependsontheseverityofthesymptoms.Treatmentisthesameasforanyviral infectionandmayincludesupportivecaresuchas: Resting Keepingwarmandcomfortable Drinkingplentyoffluids.

Viralmeningitiscannotbetreatedwithantibiotics. Get further medical help if you are still worried Youaretheexpertinyourfamilyshealth.Ifyouthinkapersonhassymptomsthatsuggest meningitis,contactyourdoctorimmediately, calltriplezero(000)foranambulance orgotothe nearesthospitalemergencydepartment.Earlydiagnosisandtreatmentarevital. Where to get help

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Ifyoususpectmeningitis,seeyourdoctorstraightaway,calltriplezero(000)foran ambulanceorgototheemergencydepartmentofyournearestpublichospital Nurse-on-CallTel.1300606024forexperthealthinformationandadvice(24hours,7 days) Yourlocalcommunityhealthcentre Yourlocalcouncilimmunisationservice ImmunisationProgram,DepartmentofHumanServicesVictoriaTel.1300882008 NationalImmunisationInfolineTel.1800671811

Things to remember

Bacterialmeningitisisseriousandrequiresverypromptmedicalattention. Differentgermscancausemeningitis. Viral meningitisisrelativelycommonandmayalsobeserious. Vaccinationcanprotectagainstsomeformsofmeningitis.

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DHS-CommunicableDiseaseControl

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

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