My Blog List

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Bacterial Meningitis (M.I. Blog #2)

Bacterial Meningitis physically affects a patients body through the inflammation of the membranes

(meninges) around the brain or spinal cord. Major symptoms may include fever, headache and a

stiff neck, sometimes with aching muscles, nausea, and vomiting. This is considered a serious

infection because it is rare and can cause brain damage and even death. 

Bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotics in a hospital. They may also give the patient

dexamethasone. Most likely the patient would be watched carefully to try and prevent serious 

problems such as hearing loss, seizures, or brain damage. In my opinion it would be in the best 

interest of the patients that are affected to be admitted to the hospital and begin the antibiotics 

and observation immediately. If the infection is isolated and treated immediately and those know 

to have come into contact with the carrier are immediately brought into the hospital then the risk 

of it spreading will be greatly decreased.

No comments: