What is viral meningitis? Symptoms you should not ignore

Five students aged between 7 and 8 from a private school in India’s Kerala state, have been diagnosed with viral meningitis on Wednesday. Owing to the scare, the authorities have directed to suspend classes till Mar 16, and the serum samples of the students have been sent to the National Virology Institute for further confirmation. Here’s everything you need to know about viral meningitis.

What is meningitis?

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Meningitis is a serious infection of the meninges, which is the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This devastating disease remains a major public health challenge in many countries. The disease can be caused by many different pathogens including bacteria, fungi, or viruses, but the highest global burden is seen with bacterial meningitis.

What is viral meningitis?

Viral meningitis is the infection of the meninges, caused by a virus.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many viruses can cause meningitis. In the US, the common disease-causing viruses are:

• Arboviruses, such as West Nile virus
• Herpesviruses (Epstein-Barr virus, Herpes simplex viruses, Varicella-zoster virus)
• Influenza virus
• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus
• Measles virus
• Mumps virus
• Non-polio enteroviruses (most common)

Is viral meningitis serious?

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Though viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis, it is generally less severe than bacterial meningitis. The latter, however, is a medical emergency and should be treated as soon as possible.

Who can get viral meningitis?
Anyone can get viral meningitis; however, certain factors can increase the risk.

The risk factors include:

Age: Children younger than 5 years are at increased risk. Also babies less than 1 month are more likely to develop serious illness if they get infected.

Medical condition: People with weakened immune systems have a high risk. Also, some medications such as chemotherapy, or recent organ or bone marrow transplants can compromise the immune system.

What are the symptoms of viral meningitis?
People with viral meningitis usually start having typical meningitis symptoms, as per the health agency. The common symptoms of meningitis include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Stiff neck

Other symptoms

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Photophobia (eyes being more sensitive to light)
• Altered mental status (confusion)

Symptoms in babies
In newborns and babies, the symptoms may vary and could be difficult to notice the above-listed common symptoms, instead ,they show:

• Be slow or inactive
• Be irritable
• Vomit
• Feed poorly
• Have a bulging fontanelle (the "soft spot" on a baby's head)
• Have abnormal reflexes

How to prevent it?
Limiting the exposure to the virus is the best way to prevent it.

You can also incorporate some healthy habits to prevent the infection:

• Wash your hands often, especially after changing diapers or using the toilet
• Avoid close contact, such as touching and shaking hands, with people who are sick
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces
• Stay home when sick and keep sick children out of school
• Avoid mosquitoes and other insect bites
• Avoid contact with wild mice. Also take precautions when handling pet rodents like mice, hamsters, or guinea pigs.

Vaccination
CDC notes that certain vaccines can provide protection against viral meningitis. The vaccines include:

• Chickenpox vaccines
• Influenza vaccines
• Measles and mumps vaccines
• Shingles vaccines

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