Key points
- Bacterial meningitis is serious and death can occur in a few hours.
- However, most people recover from bacterial meningitis.
- Those who recover can have permanent disabilities.
What it is
Several bacteria can cause meningitis. Leading U.S. causes include:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Group B Streptococcus
- Escherichia coli
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Neisseria meningitidis
- Listeria monocytogenes
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes tuberculosis or TB, is a less common cause.
Symptoms
People with bacterial meningitis usually have typical meningitis symptoms.
When to seek emergency care
Complications
Complications can include seizures, coma, and death. Many of these bacteria are associated with another serious illness, sepsis.
Risk factors
Certain factors increase a person's risk for getting bacterial meningitis.
Age
Some causes are more likely to affect certain age groups:
- Group B Streptococcus
- E. coli
- S. pneumoniae
- S. pneumoniae
- H. influenzae
- Group B Streptococcus
- N. meningitidis
- S. pneumoniae
- N. meningitidis
- S. pneumoniae
- Group B Streptococcus
- H. influenzae
- L. monocytogenes
- N. meningitidis
Certain medical conditions
Certain medical conditions, medications, and surgical procedures put people at increased risk, including:
- Having a weakened immune system
- Having a cerebrospinal fluid leak
- Not having a spleen
Group setting
Infectious diseases tend to spread where large groups of people gather. For example, college campuses have reported outbreaks of meningococcal disease, caused by N. meningitidis.
Travel
Travelers may be at increased risk for meningococcal disease
- During the annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage
- In sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season
Travelers should also avoid being with known TB patients in crowded, enclosed environments.
Pregnancy
How it spreads
L. monocytogenes can spread through food, while the bacteria shown below spread from one person to another.
E. coli
- Can pass to babies during birth
S. pneumoniae
- Spread by coughing or sneezing
- Require close contact
- Spread by sharing respiratory or throat secretions (saliva or spit)
- Require close or lengthy contact
- Spread by coughing or sneezing
- Don't require close contact
- Spread through contaminated food when people don't wash their hands well after using the toilet
Prevention
Vaccination
Vaccines are the most effective way to protect against certain types of bacterial meningitis.
There are vaccines for 4 types of bacteria that can cause meningitis. All but the last are widely used in the United States.
- Meningococcal vaccines (N. meningitidis)
- Pneumococcal vaccines (S. pneumoniae)
- Hib vaccines (Haemophilus influenzae serotype b)
- Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine (M. tuberculosis)
Pregnancy screening
Pregnant women should talk to their healthcare provider about getting screened for group B Streptococcus. Healthcare providers give antibiotics (during labor) to women who test positive. This helps prevent passing the bacteria to their babies.
Preventive antibiotics
Sometimes antibiotics can help prevent people from getting sick if they were around someone with bacterial meningitis. Healthcare providers and health departments decide who should get these preventive antibiotics.