How does viral meningitis spread

Slow-growing organisms such as fungi and Mycobacterium tuberculosis that invade the membranes and fluid surrounding your brain cause chronic meningitis. Chronic meningitis develops over two weeks or more. The signs and symptoms of chronic meningitis — headache, fever, vomiting and mental cloudiness — are similar to those of acute meningitis.

Fungal meningitis is relatively uncommon in the United States. It may mimic acute bacterial meningitis. It's often contracted by breathing in fungal spores that may be found in soil, decaying wood and bird droppings.

Fungal meningitis isn't contagious from person to person. Cryptococcal meningitis is a common 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. Even with treatment, fungal meningitis may recur. Parasites can cause a rare type of meningitis called eosinophilic meningitis.

Parasitic meningitis can also be caused by a tapeworm infection in the brain cysticercosis or cerebral malaria. Amoebic meningitis is a rare type that is sometimes contracted through swimming in fresh water and can quickly become life-threatening. The main parasites that cause meningitis typically infect animals.

People are usually infected by eating foods contaminated with these parasites. Parasitic meningitis isn't spread between people. Meningitis can also result from noninfectious causes, such as chemical reactions, drug allergies, some types of cancer and inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis. Meningitis complications can be severe.

The longer you or your child has the disease without treatment, the greater the risk of seizures and permanent neurological damage, including:. Common bacteria or viruses that can cause meningitis can spread through coughing, sneezing, kissing, or sharing eating utensils, a toothbrush or a cigarette.

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine. The CDC recommends that a single dose be given to children ages 11 to 12, with a booster shot given at age If the vaccine is first given between ages 13 and 15, the booster is recommended between ages 16 and If the first shot is given at age 16 or older, no booster is necessary.

This vaccine can also be given to children between the ages of 2 months and 10 years who are at high risk of bacterial meningitis or who have been exposed to someone with the disease. Fortunately, most people exposed to these viruses experience mild or no symptoms. Most people are exposed to these viruses at some time in their lives, but few actually develop meningitis.

Strict isolation is not necessary. Since most cases are due to enteroviruses that may be passed in the stool, people diagnosed with viral meningitis should be instructed to thoroughly wash their hands after using the toilet. Navigation menu.

Who gets viral meningitis? Anyone can get viral meningitis but it occurs most often in children. While viral meningitis produces the same symptoms as meningitis caused by bacteria and fungi, it is rarely fatal. In order to diagnose viral meningitis, and to differentiate it from bacterial and fungal meningitis, fluid from the spinal cord is withdrawn by needle and tested in the laboratory.

Although viral meningitis is typically not very contagious, it can be spread from one person to another. The two most common ways of spread are through direct contact with respiratory secretions, and through the stool feces of an infected person. However, only a very small fraction of persons infected with these enteroviruses will go on to develop viral meningitis.

Staphylococcal meningitis affects the protective covering around your spinal cord and brain. The condition is rare and can be fatal. It's not yet approved for use in the United States. We explain how it works and more. Even if you were extremely vocal about your hesitancy to get a COVID vaccine in the past, changing your mind doesn't make you a hypocrite, it….

The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for everyone. For adults, the three-dose vaccine is typically given over 6 months, depending on vaccine brand…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. How Contagious Is Meningitis? Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Fungal meningitis Parasitic meningitis Noninfectious meningitis Viral meningitis Bacterial meningitis Avoiding meningitis Share on Pinterest.

Fungal meningitis. Parasitic meningitis. Non-infectious meningitis.