Spinal Meningitis-is that contagious?? How do people get it?

Question

I have a friend who has it, and I just want to know if its contagious, and how people get it.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Meningitis can be caused by viruses or baceria. It can be very contagious--it has been known to be easily spread in college dorms, jails, and armed forces barracks--anywhere where people are in close quarters. Fortunately, many people who are exposed to friends or family that have meningitis never develope the disease. Please check with your doctor to see if you are at risk.

Answer 2

Yes, some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as things like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been. i looked this up ... i'm not that smart lol :P hehe.. BTW ... i saw ur question about Laguardia hs and i see ur goin there :] i am goin there too ! but i am majoring in art.. ur a vocal major , right ? u must be really good ! anyways... hope i helped :]

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Answer 4

My brother had it when he was a kid. I believe he got it from swimming in a pool that hadn't been cleaned or have proper chemicals in it. He almost died but I dont think it is contagious.

Answer 5

spinal meningitiscontagious people

Answer 6

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes (meninges) and cerebrospinal fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord, usually due to the spread of an infection.

In the past, most meningitis cases occurred in children younger than 5 years. But as a result of the protection offered by current childhood vaccines, most meningitis cases now occur in young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Older adults also tend to have a higher incidence of meningitis than do young children.

The cause of most cases of meningitis is a viral infection, but bacterial and fungal infections also can lead to meningitis. The severity of the inflammation and the best treatment depend on the cause of the infection. Bacterial meningitis is generally much more serious than viral meningitis, and timely treatment is necessary.

Left untreated, bacterial meningitis can be fatal. If you suspect that you or someone in your family has signs or symptoms of meningitis, seek medical care right away. There's no way to tell what kind of meningitis you have without seeing your doctor and undergoing testing.

Signs and symptoms
It's easy to mistake the early signs and symptoms of meningitis for the flu. They may develop over a period of one or two days and typically include:

A high fever
Severe headache
Vomiting or nausea with headache
Confusion, or difficulty concentrating — in the very young, this may appear as inability to maintain eye contact
Seizures
Sleepiness or difficulty waking up
Stiff neck
Sensitivity to light
Lack of interest in drinking and eating
Skin rash in some cases, such as in viral or meningococcal meningitis
Earlier signs and symptoms that may suggest a serious infection, although not necessarily meningitis, include leg pain, ice-cold hands and feet, and abnormally pale skin tone.

Signs in newborns
Newborns and young infants may not have the classic signs and symptoms of headache and stiff neck. Instead, they may cry constantly, seem unusually sleepy or irritable, and eat poorly. Sometimes the soft spots on an infant's head may bulge. A very late sign may be a spasm consisting of extreme hyperextension of the body (opisthotonos).

If you or your child has bacterial meningitis, delaying treatment increases the risk of permanent brain damage. In addition, bacterial meningitis can prove fatal in a matter of days. Seek medical care right away if you or anyone in your family has any signs or symptoms.

Causes

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Meningitis
Meningitis usually results from a viral infection, but the cause also may be a bacterial infection. Less commonly, a fungal infection may cause meningitis. Because bacterial infections are the most damaging, identifying the source of the infection is an important part of developing a treatment plan.

Bacterial meningitis
Acute bacterial meningitis usually occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and migrate to the brain and spinal cord. But it can also occur when bacteria invade the meninges directly, as a result of an ear or sinus infection or a skull fracture.

A number of strains of bacteria can cause acute bacterial meningitis. The most common include:
A number of strains of bacteria can cause acute bacterial meningitis. The most common include:

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). This bacterium is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in infants and young children in the United States. It can also cause pneumonia and ear and sinus infections. When pneumococcal meningitis is associated with an ear infection, it's not always clear which came first — the meningitis or the ear infection — because they usually occur together.
Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus). This bacterium is another leading cause of bacterial meningitis. Meningococcal meningitis commonly occurs when bacteria from an upper respiratory infection enter your bloodstream. This infection is highly contagious and may cause local epidemics in college dormitories and boarding schools and on military bases.
Haemophilus influenzae (haemophilus). Before the 1990s, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacterium was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis. But new Hib vaccines — available as part of the routine childhood immunization schedule in the United States — have greatly reduced the number of cases of this type of meningitis. When it occurs, it tends to follow an upper respiratory infection, ear infection (otitis media) or sinusitis.
Listeria monocytogenes (listeria). These bacteria can be found almost anywhere — in soil, in dust and in foods that have become contaminated. Contaminated foods have included soft cheeses, hot dogs and luncheon meats. Many wild and domestic animals also carry the bacteria. Fortunately, most healthy people exposed to listeria don't become ill, although pregnant women, newborns and older adults tend to be more susceptible. Listeria can cross the placental barrier, and infections in late pregnancy may cause a baby to be stillborn or die shortly after birth.
Viral meningitis
Viral meningitis is usually mild and often clears on its own in 10 days or less. A group of common viruses known as enteroviruses, which cause stomach flu, are responsible for about 90 percent of viral meningitis in the United States.

The most common signs and symptoms of enteroviral infections are rash, sore throat, joint aches and headache. Many older children and adults with enteroviral meningitis describe the "worst headache I've ever had." These viruses tend to circulate in late summer and early fall. Viruses associated with mumps, herpes infection, West Nile virus or other diseases also can cause viral meningitis.

Chronic meningitis
Ongoing (chronic) forms of meningitis occur when slow-growing organisms invade the membranes and fluid surrounding your brain. Although acute meningitis strikes suddenly, chronic meningitis develops over four weeks or more. Nevertheless, the signs and symptoms of chronic meningitis — headaches, fever, vomiting and mental cloudiness — are similar to those of acute meningitis. This type of meningitis is rare.

Fungal meningitis
Fungal meningitis is relatively uncommon. Cryptococcal meningitis is a fungal form of the disease that affects people with immune deficiencies, such as AIDS. It's life-threatening if not treated with an antifungal medication.

Other causes
Meningitis can also result from noninfectious causes, such as drug allergies, some types of cancer and inflammatory diseases such as lupus

Risk Factors

A few risk factors can make you or your child more likely to develop meningitis:

Age. Children younger than 5 years, young people ages 15 to 24 and older adults are more likely to develop meningitis than is the rest of the population.
Living in a community setting. College students living in dormitories, personnel on military bases and children in boarding schools and child care facilities are at increased risk of meningococcal meningitis, probably because infectious diseases tend to spread quickly wherever large groups of people congregate.
Pregnancy. If you're pregnant, you're more likely to contract listeriosis — an infection caused by listeria bacteria, which may also cause meningitis. If you have listeriosis, your unborn baby is at risk, too.
Working with animals. People who work with domestic animals, including dairy farmers and ranchers, have a higher risk of contracting listeria, which can lead to meningitis.
Compromised immune system. Factors that may compromise your immune system — including AIDS, diabetes and use of immunosuppressant drugs — also make you more susceptible to meningitis. Removal of your spleen, an important part of your immune system, also may increase your risk.
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