How can people contract meningitis?

Several ways: Depends upon the cause of the meningitis. Generally the bacteria causes begin in the back of the throat and progress from there through the bloodstream or the lymphatics to the meninges. You can get it by direct penetration (rare). Some fungal causes progress from the lungs through the blood to the meninges.

Close contact: For the most part, bacterial meningitis is believed to be spread via respiratory and throat secretions, through close and prolonged contact with someone who carries the bacteria.