Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsRash in MeningitisComplicationsTreatment/Prevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Rash in Meningitis
Complications
Treatment/Prevention
A rash with aheadachecan be a sign of a very serious infection called meningococcalmeningitis. Most people recover from this infection, but without proper treatment, it can lead to permanent disability and even death in just a few hours.
This article discusses meningococcal meningitis and some of its symptoms. It also goes over how this infection is treated and ways it can be prevented.
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Meningococcal meningitis is always a medical emergency. With treatment, the disease is fatal in 10%-15% of cases, according to the CDC.Without treatment, the World Health Organization says it kills half of the people it infects.
What Is Meningococcal Meningitis?
When to Get Emergency HelpIf you have a headache and a rash, get medical attention immediately. Meningococcal meningitis can be deadly if isn’t treated promptly.
When to Get Emergency Help
If you have a headache and a rash, get medical attention immediately. Meningococcal meningitis can be deadly if isn’t treated promptly.
Adult Symptoms
The mainsymptom of meningitisis usually a headache. The headache causes significant pain all over the head. The pain may worsen when bending the neck forward. People with meningitis often also have a fever and a stiff neck.
In bacterial forms, those symptoms come on and worsen quickly.
Other meningitis symptoms include:
Petechiae can coalesce to form larger skin lesions calledpurpura. Neither the smaller dots nor the purpura spots will blanch.
Many other medical conditions can also cause petechiae of the skin, including vasculitis, leukemia, and lupus.If you have petechiae and other symptoms that could indicate meningitis, your healthcare provider will immediately start treatment and may send you for a lumbar puncture.
Symptoms in Infants and Children
Meningitis looks different in infants and children than it does in adults. Symptoms can vary depending on the child’s age:
Diagnosis
Treatment typically entails antiviral and/or antibiotic medication, depending on the specific infectious agent.
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How Common Is Rash in Meningitis?
Overall, a rash is not unusual with other forms of meningitis. It’s more common in meningococcal disease, though, with about 50% of infected people developing petechiae.
You can have petechiae andnothave meningitis, or you could have a non-meningococcal form of meningitis. Alternately, you can have meningococcal meningitis and not have a petechial rash. This is not a cut-and-dried correlation.
Complications of Meningococcal Meningitis
It’s important to seek emergency medical care if you have symptoms of meningitis. Meningitis progresses quickly, but most people recover with prompt treatment.
Even with treatment, however, it is possible to develop complications after you’ve recovered. These may include:
Treatment and Prevention
The treatment for meningococcal meningitis is antibiotics. Starting treatment quickly reduces the risk of death.Because of the seriousness of the disease, healthcare providers recommend treatment for the people you’re in close contact with as well, to help keep them from developing it.
There is a vaccine for meningococcal meningitis, but it isn’t 100% effective. It lowers your risk of infection, but you can still develop meningococcal meningitis after being vaccinated.
Summary
A headache with a rash could be a sign of meningococcal meningitis. This is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation in the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal meningitis is always an emergency and requires prompt treatment. Most people who seek immediate medical attention will recover, but complications like memory loss and speech problems are possible.
Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include headache, fever, stiff neck, and a characteristic rash that does not blanch when you press on it. In infants and children, the infection can cause extreme sleepiness, excessive crying, and fever.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bacterial meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease.World Health Organization.Meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease surveillance and trends.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Meningitis.Thomas AE, Baird SF, Anderson J.Purpuric and petechial rashes in adults and children: Initial assessment.BMJ. 2016;352:i1285. doi:10.1136/bmj.i1285World Health Organization.Meningococcal meningitis.American Academy of Pediatrics.Meningitis infections in infants and children.Glimåker M, Sjölin J, Åkesson S, Naucler P.Lumbar puncture performed promptly or after neuroimaging in acute bacterial meningitis in adults: A prospective national cohort study evaluating different guidelines.Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(3):321-328. doi:10.1093/cid/cix806National Organization for Rare Disorders.Meningococcal meningitis.Zainel A, Mitchell H, Sadarangani M.Bacterial meningitis in children: Neurological complications, associated risk factors, and prevention.Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):535. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030535Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: Diagnosis & treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: Prevention.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bacterial meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease.World Health Organization.Meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease surveillance and trends.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Meningitis.Thomas AE, Baird SF, Anderson J.Purpuric and petechial rashes in adults and children: Initial assessment.BMJ. 2016;352:i1285. doi:10.1136/bmj.i1285World Health Organization.Meningococcal meningitis.American Academy of Pediatrics.Meningitis infections in infants and children.Glimåker M, Sjölin J, Åkesson S, Naucler P.Lumbar puncture performed promptly or after neuroimaging in acute bacterial meningitis in adults: A prospective national cohort study evaluating different guidelines.Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(3):321-328. doi:10.1093/cid/cix806National Organization for Rare Disorders.Meningococcal meningitis.Zainel A, Mitchell H, Sadarangani M.Bacterial meningitis in children: Neurological complications, associated risk factors, and prevention.Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):535. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030535Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: Diagnosis & treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: Prevention.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bacterial meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease.World Health Organization.Meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease surveillance and trends.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Meningitis.Thomas AE, Baird SF, Anderson J.Purpuric and petechial rashes in adults and children: Initial assessment.BMJ. 2016;352:i1285. doi:10.1136/bmj.i1285World Health Organization.Meningococcal meningitis.American Academy of Pediatrics.Meningitis infections in infants and children.Glimåker M, Sjölin J, Åkesson S, Naucler P.Lumbar puncture performed promptly or after neuroimaging in acute bacterial meningitis in adults: A prospective national cohort study evaluating different guidelines.Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(3):321-328. doi:10.1093/cid/cix806National Organization for Rare Disorders.Meningococcal meningitis.Zainel A, Mitchell H, Sadarangani M.Bacterial meningitis in children: Neurological complications, associated risk factors, and prevention.Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):535. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030535Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: Diagnosis & treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: Prevention.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: Diagnosis & treatment.
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