Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon SymptomsLess Common SymptomsComplicationsWhen to Seek Medical CareFAQNext in Meningitis GuideCauses and Risk Factors of Meningitis

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Common Symptoms

Less Common Symptoms

Complications

When to Seek Medical Care

FAQ

Next in Meningitis Guide

Meningitisis an infection of the protective cover around the brain called themeninges. Meningitis causes symptoms such as fever, a stiff neck, and headaches withsensitivity to sounds and light.Meningitiscan also cause confusion or seizures if it becomes severe.

Two of the maintypes of meningitisare bacterial and viral.Viral and bacterial meningitis infections often have some of the same symptoms but they can also have some important differences.

This article will go over the signs and symptoms of meningitis. You will also learn how to spot the complications of the infection.

© Verywell, 2018

meningitis symptoms

Contagious Types of Meningitis

Frequent Symptoms of Meningitis

The most common symptoms of meningitis arefever, neck pain and stiffness, and trouble thinking (called a change in mental status).The three symptoms together are called the “classic triad” of meningitis symptoms.

There are also other symptoms of meningitis. Many of them are also common in other kinds of infections. Some meningitis symptoms start early on in the infection while others take longer to show up. You may not have all of these symptoms if you have meningitis.

Common meningitis symptoms include:

How Long Do Symptoms Last?If you have viral meningitis, your symptoms will likely get better in a week to 10 days. If you havebacterial meningitis, the infection lasts longer and is more severe.

How Long Do Symptoms Last?

If you have viral meningitis, your symptoms will likely get better in a week to 10 days. If you havebacterial meningitis, the infection lasts longer and is more severe.

Young Infants

In newborns and small infants, the symptoms of meningitis may come on quickly—often within a matter of hours.

It’s important to know that the classic triad of meningitis symptoms—fever, headache, and neck stiffness—can be absent or hard to spot in very young babies.

Symptoms of meningitis in infants can include:

Know the Signs of Meningitis In Babies

Less Common Symptoms of Meningitis

Other than the generalflu-like symptomsthat start early in a meningitis infection, there are also some other symptoms that can crop up.

While they are less common, these symptoms are usually more noticeable. Many of these symptoms are also more likely to happen in bacterial, rather than viral, meningitis.

Less common symptoms of meningitis include:

What Are the Risk Factors for Meningitis?

Complications of Meningitis

One of the most important parts of treating meningitis is preventing complications. The earlier they are spotted, the more likely it is that they can be controlled.

These complications happen when the infection reaches nerves, spreads to the brain, or gets into other areas of the body.

Very young babies and people who do not have a healthy immune system are more likely to have complications from meningitis but any person can get them—even if they are otherwise healthy.

If you have these symptoms, you need to seek medical care right away:

The Long-Term Effects of Meningitis

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Meningitis needsto be treated. Your healthcare provider’s main goal will be to prevent you from getting complications from the infection.

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Even if you do not feel very sick, you need to get medical care if you have symptoms of meningitis such as:

Meningitis Facts and Statistics: What You Need to Know

How Is Meningitis Treated?

Summary

The symptoms of meningitis may come on gradually or very fast. Sometimes, the infection gets worse quickly and a person becomes seriously ill. The complications from the infection can be life-threatening.

Frequently Asked QuestionsPeople get meningitis when bacteria or viruses get into their bodies. This can happen if they are in close contact with a person who has meningitis.Some of the bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis include Group BstreptococcusandE. coli.Viruses that cause viral meningitis include mumps, measles,herpes simplex virus, andWest Nile virus.Learn MoreWhat Is E.coli?Viral meningitis symptoms usually start a few days after a person catches the infection. Most people get better on their own in seven to 10 days.Bacterial meningitis symptoms often come on very fast—within hours or days. They are usually worse than viral meningitis symptoms.Meningitis can bediagnosedwith blood tests, ear and eye exams, a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) to test the fluid around the spine (cerebrospinal fluid) a brain test called anelectroencephalogram, and imaging tests like a CT scan,MRI, orchest X-ray.Some of these tests are used to prove that you do not have another condition that can cause the same symptoms as meningitis rather than to specifically diagnose the infection.

Frequently Asked Questions

People get meningitis when bacteria or viruses get into their bodies. This can happen if they are in close contact with a person who has meningitis.Some of the bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis include Group BstreptococcusandE. coli.Viruses that cause viral meningitis include mumps, measles,herpes simplex virus, andWest Nile virus.Learn MoreWhat Is E.coli?

People get meningitis when bacteria or viruses get into their bodies. This can happen if they are in close contact with a person who has meningitis.Some of the bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis include Group BstreptococcusandE. coli.Viruses that cause viral meningitis include mumps, measles,herpes simplex virus, andWest Nile virus.

People get meningitis when bacteria or viruses get into their bodies. This can happen if they are in close contact with a person who has meningitis.

Some of the bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis include Group BstreptococcusandE. coli.

Viruses that cause viral meningitis include mumps, measles,herpes simplex virus, andWest Nile virus.

Learn MoreWhat Is E.coli?

Viral meningitis symptoms usually start a few days after a person catches the infection. Most people get better on their own in seven to 10 days.Bacterial meningitis symptoms often come on very fast—within hours or days. They are usually worse than viral meningitis symptoms.

Viral meningitis symptoms usually start a few days after a person catches the infection. Most people get better on their own in seven to 10 days.

Bacterial meningitis symptoms often come on very fast—within hours or days. They are usually worse than viral meningitis symptoms.

Meningitis can bediagnosedwith blood tests, ear and eye exams, a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) to test the fluid around the spine (cerebrospinal fluid) a brain test called anelectroencephalogram, and imaging tests like a CT scan,MRI, orchest X-ray.Some of these tests are used to prove that you do not have another condition that can cause the same symptoms as meningitis rather than to specifically diagnose the infection.

Meningitis can bediagnosedwith blood tests, ear and eye exams, a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) to test the fluid around the spine (cerebrospinal fluid) a brain test called anelectroencephalogram, and imaging tests like a CT scan,MRI, orchest X-ray.

Some of these tests are used to prove that you do not have another condition that can cause the same symptoms as meningitis rather than to specifically diagnose the infection.

How to Prevent Meningitis

9 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. Meningcoccal disease.Signs and symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal disease.Causes and how it spreads.World Health Organization.Meningitis.Iio K, Ogawa Y, Ihara T, Horikoshi Y, Hataya H.Nuchal rigidity in infantile bacterial meningitis.J Pediatr. 2019 Apr;207:255. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.10.008.Penn Medicine.Meningitis.Bacterial Meningitis in Infants Over 3 Months of Age - Pediatrics - MSD Manual Professional Edition.MSD Manual Professional Edition.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral meningitis.Mularski A, Żaba C.Fatal meningococcal meningitis in a 2-year-old child: A case report.World J Clin Cases. 2019;7(5):636-641. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v7.i5.636Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bacterial meningitis.Additional ReadingDougherty MJ, Smith AT.Acute streptococcal meningitis presenting as bilateral conductive hearing loss.Am J Emerg Med. 2018 Apr 5. pii: S0735-6757(18)30284-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.04.009. [Epub ahead of print]Lee JJ, Lien CY, Chien CC, et al.Anaerobic bacterial meningitis in adults. J Clin Neurosci. 2018 Apr;50:45-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2018.01.014. Epub 2018 Feb 1.Misra UK, Kalita J, Kumar M, Neyaz Z.Hypovolemia due to cerebral salt wasting may contribute to stroke in tuberculous meningitis. QJM. 2018 Apr 9. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcy072. [Epub ahead of print]

9 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. Meningcoccal disease.Signs and symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal disease.Causes and how it spreads.World Health Organization.Meningitis.Iio K, Ogawa Y, Ihara T, Horikoshi Y, Hataya H.Nuchal rigidity in infantile bacterial meningitis.J Pediatr. 2019 Apr;207:255. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.10.008.Penn Medicine.Meningitis.Bacterial Meningitis in Infants Over 3 Months of Age - Pediatrics - MSD Manual Professional Edition.MSD Manual Professional Edition.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral meningitis.Mularski A, Żaba C.Fatal meningococcal meningitis in a 2-year-old child: A case report.World J Clin Cases. 2019;7(5):636-641. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v7.i5.636Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bacterial meningitis.Additional ReadingDougherty MJ, Smith AT.Acute streptococcal meningitis presenting as bilateral conductive hearing loss.Am J Emerg Med. 2018 Apr 5. pii: S0735-6757(18)30284-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.04.009. [Epub ahead of print]Lee JJ, Lien CY, Chien CC, et al.Anaerobic bacterial meningitis in adults. J Clin Neurosci. 2018 Apr;50:45-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2018.01.014. Epub 2018 Feb 1.Misra UK, Kalita J, Kumar M, Neyaz Z.Hypovolemia due to cerebral salt wasting may contribute to stroke in tuberculous meningitis. QJM. 2018 Apr 9. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcy072. [Epub ahead of print]

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. Meningcoccal disease.Signs and symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal disease.Causes and how it spreads.World Health Organization.Meningitis.Iio K, Ogawa Y, Ihara T, Horikoshi Y, Hataya H.Nuchal rigidity in infantile bacterial meningitis.J Pediatr. 2019 Apr;207:255. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.10.008.Penn Medicine.Meningitis.Bacterial Meningitis in Infants Over 3 Months of Age - Pediatrics - MSD Manual Professional Edition.MSD Manual Professional Edition.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral meningitis.Mularski A, Żaba C.Fatal meningococcal meningitis in a 2-year-old child: A case report.World J Clin Cases. 2019;7(5):636-641. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v7.i5.636Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bacterial meningitis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningcoccal disease.Signs and symptoms.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal disease.Causes and how it spreads.

World Health Organization.Meningitis.

Iio K, Ogawa Y, Ihara T, Horikoshi Y, Hataya H.Nuchal rigidity in infantile bacterial meningitis.J Pediatr. 2019 Apr;207:255. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.10.008.

Penn Medicine.Meningitis.

Bacterial Meningitis in Infants Over 3 Months of Age - Pediatrics - MSD Manual Professional Edition.MSD Manual Professional Edition.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral meningitis.

Mularski A, Żaba C.Fatal meningococcal meningitis in a 2-year-old child: A case report.World J Clin Cases. 2019;7(5):636-641. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v7.i5.636

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bacterial meningitis.

Dougherty MJ, Smith AT.Acute streptococcal meningitis presenting as bilateral conductive hearing loss.Am J Emerg Med. 2018 Apr 5. pii: S0735-6757(18)30284-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.04.009. [Epub ahead of print]Lee JJ, Lien CY, Chien CC, et al.Anaerobic bacterial meningitis in adults. J Clin Neurosci. 2018 Apr;50:45-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2018.01.014. Epub 2018 Feb 1.Misra UK, Kalita J, Kumar M, Neyaz Z.Hypovolemia due to cerebral salt wasting may contribute to stroke in tuberculous meningitis. QJM. 2018 Apr 9. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcy072. [Epub ahead of print]

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