Question 1

do you give a 7 year old a meningitis shot in the u.s. ?

Accepted Answer

See below: Current recommendation is for the first Menactra vaccine at 11 years of age and a booster at 16 years of age.

Question 2

why i s there "acute" bacterial meningitis? is there such a thing as mild bacterial meningitis?

Accepted Answer

No: Just like there is not a mild form of  the black plague. A little poison is still poison.

Question 3

what type(s) of meningitis would be most likely to occur from having a blood patch or epidural?

Accepted Answer

Staph meningitis: A blood patch or epidural involves injecting the spine with a needle. Therefore, the most likely contaminant would be a bacteria on the skin, driven into the spine by the needle.  Staphylococcus aureus ("staph" is the most common bacteria on the skin that is responsible for the majority of this type of infection. The incidence of meningitis after an injection is very low.

Question 4

how can i catch meningitis ?

Accepted Answer

Meningitis: It is actually not easy to be infected with a meningitis organisms, one would need direct contact with an individual carrying a bacteria and even then it is not common.

Question 5

what is meningitis caused by?

Accepted Answer

Many things: Meningitis can be caused by multiple types of infections, such as viruses, bacteria, etc.  if you think you have meningitis, you should get checked as soon as possible.

Question 6

how do you diagnose meningitis?

Accepted Answer

Spinal tap: Lumbar punctures or spinal taps obtain cerebrospinal  fluid for analysis including cultures which usually identifies the causative organism.

Question 7

is meningitis a dangerous disease?

Accepted Answer

Depends on agent: Meningitis is defined as an inflamation(generally caused by infection) of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord.The agent may be bacterial (like strep/staph/meningococcus); viral, fungal or parocitic.Some viral cases are mild & resolve without special rx. Most bacterial are deadly if untreated  & may damage even with rx. Fungal & paracitic causes are also deadly & often harder to rx.

Question 8

can p. multocida cause meningitis?

Accepted Answer

Meningitis: Yes pasturella multocido can cause meningitis.

Question 9

is it possible to catch meningitis?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Some people seem naturally immune to some of the germs that cause meningitis & some gain immunity thru shots.Those with no immunity can "catch it" after passage of the germ from a source (person or object) to your body. The nasal passages are a prime pathway to their invasion. A penetrating injury to the brain may also allow otherwise benign germs to cause a meningitis by opening the skin.

Question 10

how is meningitis diagnosed usually?

Accepted Answer

Lumbar puncture: Meningitis is diagnosed by obtaining fluid from around the spinal cord during a procedure called a lumbar puncture. The fluid is then analyzed for bacteria, viruses, and signs of infection.

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Doctor answers about:

Anatomy and physiology of meningitis

A member asked:

Do you give a 7 year old a meningitis shot in the u.s. ?

A member asked:

Why i s there "acute" bacterial meningitis? is there such a thing as mild bacterial meningitis?

A member asked:

What type(s) of meningitis would be most likely to occur from having a blood patch or epidural?

A member asked:

How can i catch meningitis ?

A member asked:

What is meningitis caused by?

A member asked:

How do you diagnose meningitis?

A member asked:

Is meningitis a dangerous disease?

A member asked:

Can p. multocida cause meningitis?

A member asked:

Is it possible to catch meningitis?

A member asked:

How is meningitis diagnosed usually?

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