Is meningitis associated with water?
Is meningitis associated with water?
Amoebic meningitis is a very rare infection. It is caught from stagnant water in waterholes and in poorly chlorinated swimming pools, especially when the water temperature rises above 30°C. Children can become infected when contaminated water is forced up the nose.
What are the effects of meningitis in babies?
Infants and young children may become fussy, irritable, and difficult to comfort. And excessive sleepiness is a symptom of meningitis, so it may be hard to wake a sleeping child. Untreated, meningitis can lead to coma. Poor coordination, dizziness, and clumsiness may remain for some time after a bout with meningitis.
Who is most at risk of meningitis?
Anyone can get meningococcal disease, but rates of disease are highest in children younger than 1 year old, with a second peak in adolescence. Among teens and young adults, those 16 through 23 years old have the highest rates of meningococcal disease.
What causes a baby to be born with meningitis?
Your baby can get meningitis when bacteria, viruses, or a fungus infecting another part of their body travels in the bloodstream to their brain and spinal cord. Out of 1,000 live births, about 0.1 to 0.4 neonates (a baby less than 28 days old) get meningitis, estimates a 2017 review.
What causes meningitis in infants?
Many different types of bacteria can cause bacterial meningitis. In newborns, the most common causes are group B strep, E. coli, and less commonly, Listeria monocytogenes. In older kids, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) are often the causes.
How do they treat meningitis in babies?
Bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotics that are typically given intravenously in the hospital through an IV. According to the AAP, most babies who receive prompt antibiotic treatment will recover completely.
What age group gets meningitis?
How can meningitis be prevented?
The most effective way to prevent meningitis is to get vaccinated against the disease. There are currently two vaccines available in the U.S. that protect against most types of bacterial meningitis.