Can you cure meningitis

However, some people have a higher risk of getting the disease, including:. Babies younger than 1 month old and people with weakened immune systems are also more likely to have severe illness. Close contacts of someone with viral meningitis can become infected with the virus that made that person sick.

However, these close contacts are not likely to develop meningitis. Only a small number of people who get infected with the viruses that cause meningitis will develop viral meningitis. Viruses that can cause meningitis spread in different ways. Initial symptoms of viral meningitis are similar to those for bacterial meningitis.

However, bacterial meningitis is usually severe and can cause serious complications, such as brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disabilities. The pathogens germs that cause bacterial meningitis can also be associated with another serious illness, sepsis. Without timely treatment, sepsis can quickly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.

See a doctor right away if you think you or your child might have meningitis. A doctor can determine if you have the disease, what is causing it, and the best treatment. Doctors diagnose meningitis by ordering specific lab tests on specimens from a person suspected of having meningitis. If a doctor suspects meningitis, he or she may collect samples for testing by. In most cases, there is no specific treatment for viral meningitis.

This is especially important in bacterial meningitis; for this reason, steroids are often given in conjunction with antibiotics. Vaccines cannot protect you from the noninfectious causes of meningitis , which include:.

But meningitis vaccines can protect you from the three most common bacteria that cause the disease in children and adults — Neisseria meningitidis , Streptococcus pneumoniae , and Haemophilus influenzae type b Hib — and certain meningitis-causing viruses.

At least 12 different serogroups, or strains, of N. Menomune, an older vaccine that protected against these four strains, was discontinued in February The two available meningococcal conjugate vaccines that protect against strains A, C, W, and Y are:. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends that all children ages 11 and 12 receive one of these vaccines, followed by a booster shot at age These vaccines are also recommended for babies, children, and adults at particular risk for meningococcal meningitis.

Approved in , the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV13 or Prevnar 13 protects against 13 strains of pneumococcal bacteria. The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine PPSV23 or Pneumovax , approved in , protects against 23 strains of pneumococcal bacteria.

It's recommended for all adults who are at least 65 years old, and everyone older than age 2 with a high risk of pneumococcal disease due to health issues or medication they take. Four Hib vaccines are available. They're recommended for all U. No vaccines are available to protect against non-polio enteroviruses , by far the most common cause of viral meningitis. But vaccines can prevent other meningitis-causing viruses, including mumps, measles , influenza, and chickenpox varicella.

The measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella MMRV vaccine, approved in , protects against four meningitis-causing viruses. The vaccines are recommended for all children between 12 months and 12 years old, with the first of two shots given between ages 12 and 15 months, and the second given between ages 4 and 6 years.

The CDC recommends that everyone older than 6 months get a flu vaccine every flu season. Routine shots of the flu vaccine are necessary because the formulation of the vaccine is updated yearly to account for the ever-mutating flu viruses.

By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. There are vaccines for 4 types of bacteria that can cause meningitis:. Make sure you and your child are vaccinated on schedule. The vaccines also do not protect against infections from all the types strains of each of these bacteria. For these reasons, there is still a chance vaccinated people can develop bacterial meningitis. When someone has bacterial meningitis, a doctor may recommend antibiotics to help prevent people around the patient from getting sick.

Doctors call this prophylaxis. CDC recommends prophylaxis for:. Pregnant women should talk to their doctor or midwife about getting tested for group B Streptococcus. Women receive the test when they are 36 through 37 weeks pregnant. Doctors give antibiotics during labor to women who test positive in order to prevent passing group B strep to their newborns. Pregnant women can also reduce their risk of meningitis caused by L.

Women should avoid certain foods during pregnancy and safely prepare others. You can also help protect yourself and others from bacterial meningitis and other health problems by maintaining healthy habits:.

These healthy habits are especially important for people at increased risk for disease, including:. Top of Page. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate.

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