meningococcal meningitis

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meningococcal meningitis

pathology

Also known as: acute purulent meningitis, cerebrospinal fever, cerebrospinal meningitis, epidemic meningitis, spinal meningitis, spotted fever(Show More)

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June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

Meningococcal meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. This bacterium is spherical and often found in pairs. While up to 30 percent of people may carry the bacteria without symptoms, it can cause serious illness when it enters the bloodstream or infects the central nervous system.123

Symptoms initially resemble the flu, with fever, headache, and nausea, but can progress to include a stiff neck, vomiting, confusion, and sensitivity to light. Bacterial meningitis, particularly meningococcal meningitis, is life-threatening. It spreads through respiratory and throat secretions. Early diagnosis through a spinal tap and prompt antibiotic treatment are crucial to prevent permanent damage and reduce mortality rates. Vaccines are available for some types of N. meningitidis.1234

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meningitis
Meningococcal meningitis
The term meningitis is often applied to meningococcal meningitis, which is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, known commonly as meningococcus. Meningococcal meningitis is worldwide in distribution. It is primarily a disease of youth and especially of children under age 10, though all…
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The term meningitis is often applied to meningococcal meningitis, which is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, known commonly as meningococcus. Meningococcal meningitis is worldwide in distribution. It is primarily a disease of youth and especially of children under age 10, though all…
Read More

meningococcus
…bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, which causes meningococcal meningitis in humans, who are the only natural hosts in which it causes disease. The bacteria are spherical, ranging in diameter from 0.6 to 1.0 μm (micrometer; 1 μm = 10⁻⁶ meter); they frequently occur in pairs, with adjacent sides flattened. They are strongly…
Read More
…bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, which causes meningococcal meningitis in humans, who are the only natural hosts in which it causes disease. The bacteria are spherical, ranging in diameter from 0.6 to 1.0 μm (micrometer; 1 μm = 10⁻⁶ meter); they frequently occur in pairs, with adjacent sides flattened. They are strongly…
Read More

disease
Apparent and inapparent infection
…of this kind are polio, meningococcal meningitis, and cholera.
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…of this kind are polio, meningococcal meningitis, and cholera.
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List of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Meningococcal meningitis
The first vaccines for meningococcal meningitis were developed in the 1960s and ’70s. The vaccines protected against the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, which enters the nasopharynx and the bloodstream and can ultimately infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord, causing severe illness and potentially death within 24 to…
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The first vaccines for meningococcal meningitis were developed in the 1960s and ’70s. The vaccines protected against the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, which enters the nasopharynx and the bloodstream and can ultimately infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord, causing severe illness and potentially death within 24 to…
Read More