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Meningitis - pneumococcal

Contents of this page:

Illustrations

Pneumococci organism
Pneumococci organism
Pneumococcal pneumonia
Pneumococcal pneumonia

Alternative Names    Return to top

Pneumococcal meningitis

Definition    Return to top

Pneumococcal meningitis is a bacterial inflammation or infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

See also:

Causes    Return to top

Pneumococcal meningitis is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae (also called pneumococcus). The bacteria is the most common cause of meningitis in adults, and the second most common cause of meningitis in children older than age 6.

Risk factors include:

Symptoms    Return to top

Symptoms usually come on quickly, and may include:

Exams and Tests    Return to top

Physical examination will show:

For any patient with meningitis, it is important to perform a lumbar puncture ("spinal tap"), in which spinal fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) is collected for testing.

Tests that may be done include:

Treatment    Return to top

Antibiotic therapy should be started as soon as possible. Ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly used antibiotics.

If the antibiotic is not working, and the health care provider suspects antibiotic resistance, vancomycin or rifampin are used. Sometimes systemic corticosteroids may be used, especially in children.

Outlook (Prognosis)    Return to top

Early treatment improves the outcome. However, 20% of people who get this disease will die of it and 50% will have serious long-term complications.

Possible Complications    Return to top

About half of all patients have long-term complications, such as the following:

When to Contact a Medical Professional    Return to top

Call the local emergency number (such as 911) or go to an emergency room if you suspect meningitis in a young child who has the following symptoms:

Call the local emergency number if you develop any of the serious symptoms listed above. Meningitis can quickly become a life-threatening illness.

Prevention    Return to top

Early treatment of pneumonia and ear infections caused by pneumococcus may decrease the risk of meningitis. There are also two effective vaccines available to prevent pneumococcus infection.

The following people should be vaccinated, according to current recommendations:

References    Return to top

Swartz MN. Meningitis: bacterial, viral, and other. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 437.

Update Date: 9/28/2008

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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