Meningitis 4 Gigih 2003 Prepared by… …Amir Imran SMK Padang Tembak Rifle Range National Secondary School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 4 Gigih 2003

Introduction Meningitis is one of the most terrifying diseases. It can be fatal in hours yet its early symptoms resemble self-limiting conditions like flu and colds…..

Casualties… Meningitis has claimed the lives of two children and a woman in Wigan. A five-month-old baby and a 42-year-old woman have also died of the brain disease in south Wales. The characteristic blotches of the bacterial form of the disease

What is meningitis? 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, with a bacterium or even with fungi.

Definition of meningitis A general name for inflammation of : a) meninges b) cerebrospinal fluid sheaths that cover the brain and spinal cord. (selaput otak dan saraf tunjang) the fluid that circulates in the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord. (bendalir pada otak dan saraf tunjang) Meningitis can be caused by infectious or noninfectious agents. Infectious agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other organisms such as protozoa and rickettsia.

Types of Meningitis Viral Meningitis Bacterial Meningitis Less severe Caused by virus. Less severe Resolves without specific treatment within a week or two Also called as aseptic meningitis Eg : Enteroviruses (family of viruses) Caused by bacteria Quite severe and may result in a) brain damage b) hearing loss c) learning disability It would also causes death! For bacterial meningitis, it is also important to know which type of bacteria is causing the meningitis because antibiotics can prevent some types from spreading and infecting other people.

Bacterial meningitis Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib) Meningococcus Pneumococcus

Meningococcus common organisms that cause meningitis in children. caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. There are several strains of Neisseria meningitidis. Strain B causes about 75 percent of the meningococcal cases and has the highest fatality rate.

Haemophilus Influenzae type B (Hib) is caused by haemophilus bacteria. It was once the most common form of bacterial meningitis, one of the deadliest childhood diseases.

Pneumococcus is caused by pneumococcus bacteria, which also cause several diseases of the respiratory system, including pneumonia. It has a fatality rate of about 20 percent. It also results in a higher incidence of brain damage than other forms of the disease.

How do people get it? The most frequent cause of meningitis is the entry of microorganisms from an infection elsewhere in the body through the blood into the cerebrospinal fluid.  Luckily, it's not easy to get meningitis. The body has natural defenses against infections - and usually even if someone comes across a virus or bacteria that can cause meningitis, the body can fight it off. However, certain germs may outsmart the body's defenses and spread inside of the body. Some of these germs might then have the ability to infect the central nervous system, invading the meninges and causing meningitis.

Symptoms Symptoms of meningitis can come on very quickly or take a couple of days to appear. Most cases of meningitis occur in the first 5 years of life, with the peak incidence between 3 and 5 months of age.

Incubation This varies with the organism and the underlying cause of the meningitis, but once the organisms have entered the cerebrospinal fluid, the body defenses cannot control their rapid growth as well as they could when the organisms were only in the bloodstream. Once bacteria have entered the spinal fluid, the child usually shows symptoms fairly rapidly.

Complications of Meningitis One of the most common problems resulting from meningitis is hearing loss. Anyone who has had meningitis should take a hearing test. Young children: Babyish behavior Forgetting recently learned skills Reverting to bed-wetting

Older people: Lethargy Recurring headaches Difficulty in concentration Short-term memory loss Clumsiness Balance problems Depression

Serious complications Other serious complications can include: Brain damage Epilepsy Changes in eye sight

Can meningitis be cured?

Yup! It can! Bacterial meningitis 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 types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15%, although the risk is higher among the elderly. 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.

Vaccine for meningitis~~ There are vaccines against Hib and against some strains of N. meningitidis and many types of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The vaccine against haemophilus influenze (Hib) has reduced Hib meningitis cases by 95 percent since 1985. There are vaccines to prevent meningitis due to S. pneumoniae. The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is recommended for all persons over 65 years of age and younger persons at least 2 years old with certain chronic medical problems.

SUMMARY Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membrane lining the brain and spinal cord caused most often by a viral or bacterial infection that crosses the body's blood-brain barrier. Meningitis is diagnosed by a lumbar puncture , in which a small amount of fluid is collected from the spinal column. There are two main types of meningitis: bacterial and viral. Bacterial meningitis is less common, but more serious. Bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotics and the majority of patients make a full recovery. Viral meningitis usually requires no treatment beyond painkillers. Most patients make a full recovery from meningitis. A small number of infected people end up with hearing or vision loss or brain damage. Vaccinations against some forms of meningitis are available. They are recommended for children under age 5, people in close contact with someone who has developed meningitis, college students, and people travelling to certain overseas destinations.

It’s a beautiful country. ARIGATO GOZAIMASTA!!!! THANKS VERY MUCH! Visit Malaysia! It’s a beautiful country.