User talk:410material

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Meningitis
The content below was left on the main Wikiversity talk page. I recommend that you either create a new Meningitis page, or add it to your own personal User:410material/Meningitis page. Please let me know if you have any questions. -- Dave Braunschweig (discuss • contribs) 03:35, 6 February 2014 (UTC)

Meningitis is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.Most cases of meningitis in the U.S. are caused by a viral infection but occurrences of bacterial and fungal infections can lead to meningitis. Meningitis could get better on its own based on the cause. It could be life threatening or require immediate antibiotics. There are different types of viruses that can cause meningitis. For example, the herpes virus can cause viral meningitis. Although people with cold sores or genital herpes are not at a greater risk of contracting viral meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is rare but if it occurs it is usually very severe and requires immediate medical attention whereas viral meningitis is far more common and less severe. Viral meningitis is usually undiagnosed because symptoms are similar to the flu. There are different symptoms for meningitis, some of them were mentioned before. To mention them again, those include: high fever, headaches, stiff neck, vomiting or nausea, confusion or difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to light, agitation, and many more. For infants, the symptoms include: fever, constant crying, excessive sleepiness or irritability, inactivity, poor feeding, bulge in the soft spot on top of a baby’s head, and some doctors may look at a child’s reflexes which is a sign of meningitis. Some risk factor that are associated with the disease include: age group, community setting, skipping vaccinations, and compromised immune system. The targeted age group for the vaccination is usually infants and young adult under the age of 20. The recommended vaccine is for 11-18 year old but is mandatory for those seeking higher education. The community setting ties in with the age group. Since those who will attend college will live in close quarters with other it is essential that they receive the vaccination to reduce the chances of contracting the disease since disease tend to spread quickly in large groups. Skipping vaccination increases your risk of being exposed to it. If you have a weak immune system you risks are higher especially if you have had your spleen removed—which plays a big part in your immune system.

If your doctor suspects that you have contracted meningitis then they will order a spinal tap test. Other tests that can be done are a blood culture, chest x-ray, or CT scan of the head. After being diagnosed, there are different treatment options depending on whether you have bacterial or viral meningitis. Viral meningitis should disappear within weeks on its own; if not, bed rest and over the counter medicines are recommended. Bacterial is more serious and early detection is key to prevent permanent neurological damage. Antibiotics usually treat bacterial meningitis but there are other forms as well. Doctors will start intravenous fluids to replace those lost in due to sweating and vomiting

References:

CDC - Meningococcal - Signs and Symptoms. (2012, March 15). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/symptoms.html

Dugdale, D. C., & Vyas, J. M. (2012, October 6). Meningitis: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000680.htm

Meningitis Definition - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic. (2013, March 19). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/basics/definition/con-20019713

Meningitis. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/meningitis.html