It is a disease overrated by many but in reality it can cause serious consequences and even death: here are the symptoms and the details
One of the diseases present since 1700 and discovered by the doctor Robert Whytt was the disease of the central nervous system, generally of infectious origin, and it is the most frequent disease of the nervous system: we are talking about what everyone defines meningitis. The first relationship with this disease occurred in 1887 thanks to the Austrian bacteriologist Anton Weichselbaum, who described the meningococcus.
In 1906, the American scientist Simon Flexner developed a therapeutic approach produced by horses which had its effects and the disease was markedly reduced. In 2002 it was highlighted how steroid treatment can improve and cure the prognosis of bacterial meningitis.
The term meningitis refers to all cases of bacterial meningitis in which no infection can currently be demonstrated. Generally, this disease can be the result of some bacterial infections, or from infection present in a space adjacent to the meninges. A study has shown that forms of this disease increase in the summer, forming in the dry season that can last two or three years.
Meningitis, on the other hand, can also occur as a result of non-infectious causes, such as taking drugs mostly NSAIDs, antibiotics, and intravenous immunoglobulins. Again, inflammation of blood vessels and connective tissue diseases.
Symptoms of meningitis
Fabrizio Pregliasco, professor of Hygiene at the University of Milan, points out how many people try to get closer and closer to the solution of getting vaccinated to combat the causes of this disease which (in some cases) could even lead to death.
In fact, he stated: “The number of cases is constant (a thousand a year) and there is no epidemic. But the rush to vaccination is still positive to reduce the percentage of healthy carriers (currently 1 out of 10) in the younger generations “.
Viral meningitis it is quite common and i sintomi to recognize it are similar to those of a flu, i.e. fever, cold and sore throat, stiff neck, spasms and convulsions.
More serious, however, are thereand bacterial meninges and the causes can be:
- from Haemophilus influenzae type B
- Streptococcus or Diplococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), which can cause pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infections, ear infections
- from meningococcus or Neisseria meningitidis, the most dangerous: five serogroups of this bacterium (A, B, C, Y, W135, against which vaccines are available) are capable of causing serious diseases and epidemics.
Hospital treatment involves taking antibiotics and corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, fluids to rehydrate the body, and pain relievers to relieve symptoms.