When someone is extremely ill with rigors, a high fever, a severe headache, photophobia, vomiting, and other symptoms, they may also have stiff necks that eventually cause a positive kernigs sigh. This condition is known as intense malaise.MENINGITIC SYNDROME.
The infection that results in meningitis can be brought on by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Meningococcal infection will result in a petechial rash; pneumococcal infection frequently causes a skull fracture, ear disease, or a congenital central nervous system lesion. Leptospirosis is to blame in cases where workers are exposed to drains, canals, polluted rivers, etc.
Viral meningitis is a benign, self-limiting condition lasting for approximately 4–10 days. Headache may follow, but there are no sequelae. Tubercular meningitis causes meningitis, which starts with vague headache, lassitude, anorexia, and vomiting. Meningitic signs may appear after a few days or weeks. A petechial rash may be present, which is a strong evidence of the disease.
SYMPTOMS OF MENINGITIC SYNDROME
While bacterial meningitis symptoms are typically more severe than those of viral meningitis and can differ depending on age, they can initially be similar between the two types of meningitis.
Viral meningitis symptoms
Viral meningitis in infants may cause:
- Decreased appetite
- Irritability
- Sleepiness
- Lethargy
- Fever
Viral meningitis in adults may result in:
- Headaches
- Fever
- Stiff neck
- Seizures
- Sensitivity to bright light
- Sleepiness
- Lethargy
- Nausea and vomiting
- Decreased appetite
Bacterial meningitis symptoms
The following are possible signs of bacterial meningitis that can appear suddenly:
- Altered mental status
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Irritability
- Headache
- Fever
- Chills
- Stiff neck
- Bruises-like purple patches on the skin
- Sleepiness
- Lethargy
Fungal meningitis symptoms
As with the other forms of this infection, fungal meningitis can present with similar symptoms.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Fever
- Headache
- Confusion or disorientation
Learn more about these symptoms so you can differentiate between the various types of meningitis and be aware of their distinctive characteristics.
TYPES OF MENINGITIC SYNDROME
The most frequent causes of meningitis are bacterial and viral infections, though there are a few other types as well, like carcinomatous meningitis, which is related to cancer, and cryptococcal meningitis, which is brought on by a fungal infection.
Viral meningitis
Meningitis caused by viruses is the most frequent type.
- coxsackievirus A
- coxsackievirus B
- echoviruses
Bacterial Meningitis
Bacterial meningitis is most frequently brought on by the following types of bacteria:
- Streptococcus pneumoniaewhich typically lives in the sinuses, nasal cavity, and respiratory tract and can lead to “pneumococcal meningitis”
- Neisseria meningitidis, which causes a condition known as “meningococcal meningitis” and is transmitted through saliva and other respiratory fluids.
- Haemophilus influenzawhich not only causes meningitis but also blood infections, throat inflammation, cellulitis, and infectious arthritis
- Listeria monocytogenes, which are foodborne bacteria
- Staphylococcus aureus, which typically lives on skin and in the respiratory system, is the cause of “staphylococcal meningitis.”
Fungal Meningitis
People with a weakened immune system, such as those with cancer or HIV, are more likely to develop the rare type of meningitis known as fungal meningitis, which is brought on by a fungus that infects our body before spreading from our bloodstream to our brain or spinal cord.
The fungi that cause fungal meningitis most frequently are:
- Cryptococcus, which comes from dust or soil that has been contaminated with bird droppings and is inhaled
- Blastomyces, a different variety of fungus that inhabits soil, especially in the Midwestern United States.
- Histoplasma, particularly in the Midwestern States near the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, which is found in environments that are highly contaminated with bat and bird droppings.
- Coccidioideswhich is present in the soil of certain regions of the United States’ Southwest and South and Central America.
Parasitic Meningitis
Unlike viral or bacterial meningitis, this type of meningitis is less frequent and is brought on by parasites that can be found in produce, raw fish, poultry, and other foods, as well as in feces and the dirt.
Eosinophilic meningitis (EM), a form of parasitic meningitis that is more uncommon than others, is brought on by three different types of parasites.
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis
- Baylisascaris procyonis
- Gnathostoma spinigerum
Non-infectious meningitis
Non-infectious meningitis is a form of meningitis that develops as a result of certain illnesses or medical procedures rather than an infection.
- Lupus
- Head injury
- Brain surgery
- Cancer
- Certain medications
CAUSES OF MENINGITIC SYNDROME
Each type of meningitis has a unique etiology, but they all share a common mechanism of action: a bacterium, fungus, virus, or parasite spreads through the bloodstream until it reaches the brain or spinal cord, where it settles in the lining or fluids surrounding these important body parts and begins developing into a more severe infection.
A physical injury or another condition can cause non-infectious meningitis; an infection is not a factor.
HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT MENINGITIC SYNDROME
APIS MEL :Useful for nervous, restless, oversensitive, hot, or drowsy with or without thirst. There is boredom of head into pillow, cannot hold head up. There is stinging pains. There is thirst during chill, burning heat but feels chilly when moved. Useful for stupor with sudden short cries. There is stiffness and a feeling of constriction.
HELLEBORUS NIGER :Useful for meningitic syndrome, which includes stupor and dullness of the senses, constant head rolling, the need to bury one’s head in one’s pillow to ease a headache, and stiffness of the neck.
GELSEMIUM :Useful for headache accompanied by neck stiffness that is worse in the morning and improves urinating. There is difficulty keeping the eyes open. Usually indicated in the congestive stage of meningitis with pain at the back of the head and dilated pilars.
STRAMONIUM :Useful for congestive headache with tendency to incoherent talking patient raises head frequently with tendency from the pillow and drops it again during delirium and unconsciousness. Useful for pain in forehead and over the eyebrows starting at 9 am, worsening until noon. Useful for meningitis from suppressed ear discharges.
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