What is the most serious complication of meningitis?

1. Hearing Loss. Sensorial hearing loss is the most widely reported neurological sequelae of bacterial meningitis [7,27,44,51,56,57,58,59]. Hearing loss may develop from both the direct spread of bacterial products and as a result of the host inflammatory response in the meninges and CSF.
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What serious complications can be caused by meningitis?

The longer you or your child has the disease without treatment, the greater the risk of seizures and permanent neurological damage, including:
  • Hearing loss.
  • Memory difficulty.
  • Learning disabilities.
  • Brain damage.
  • Gait problems.
  • Seizures.
  • Kidney failure.
  • Shock.
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What is the most serious form of meningitis?

Bacterial meningitis, the most serious form of meningitis, can also be contagious, especially if it's meningococcal meningitis. It's spread through extended contact with an infected person.
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What is the primary and most serious complication relative to a patient with bacterial meningitis?

Bacteria or a virus can cause meningitis. Viral meningitis is more common, but bacterial meningitis is more serious. It can lead to brain damage, paralysis, or stroke.
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Which of the following is the most serious complication of meningococcal infection?

Even with treatment, approximately 1 out of every 10 people who get meningococcal disease will die, and of those who survive, up to 20 percent will suffer serious and permanent complications including brain damage, kidney damage, hearing loss, and amputation of arms, legs, fingers, or toes.
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Why is meningitis so dangerous? - Melvin Sanicas



What are the long-term consequences of meningitis?

Hence, bacterial meningitis is associated with learning and memory deficits, cognitive deficiencies and sensorimotor impairments including hearing and visual loss, and motor dysfunction [9]–[11]. Up to a third of all survivors suffer transient or permanent deafness or other neurological sequelae [12].
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Which of the following is a potential long-term complication from meningococcal disease?

Long-term effects of bacterial meningitis

Possible long-term complications include: speech problems. issues with memory. loss of coordination.
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What is the meningitis Triad?

The classic triad of meningitis consists of fever, nuchal rigidity, and altered mental status, but not all patients have all three, and almost all patients have headache. Altered mental status can range from irritability to somnolence, delirium, and coma.
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What is the fatality rate of meningitis?

In a review of 493 episodes of bacterial meningitis in adults, the overall case-fatality rate was 25%. In another study, patients with meningococcal meningitis had a case-fatality rate of 7.5%. In developing countries, the mortality rate from bacterial meningitis is often higher (20-40%) than in developed countries.
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What body system is affected by meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. A bacterial or viral infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord usually causes the swelling.
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What are the 2 types of meningitis?

Meningitis is usually caused by viruses or bacteria. Viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis, followed by bacterial meningitis. Rarer types of meningitis include chemical and fungal meningitis.
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What are the 3 types of meningitis?

The three types of meningitis are viral meningitis, fungal meningitis, and bacterial meningitis. The meninges are membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis occurs when these membranes become inflamed, potentially causing serious complications for the nervous system.
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What is the main cause of meningitis?

Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Viral meningitis is the most common and least serious type. Bacterial meningitis is rare, but can be very serious if not treated.
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What are the 5 types of meningitis?

There are actually five types of meningitis — bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal, and non-infectious — each classified by the cause of the disease.
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How does meningitis cause stroke?

Meningitis also affects the coagulation cascade; diffuse cerebral intravascular coagulation has also been implicated in the pathophysiology of stroke in these cases. A hypercoagulable state arises from activation of antifibrinolytic, proinflammatory, and procoagulant pathways.
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Why does meningitis cause seizures?

When meningitis causes brain swelling or pressure, it can disrupt the brain's normal function, resulting in a seizure.
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How long before meningitis is fatal?

Bacterial meningitis – bacterial meningitis has a sudden onset, and can cause serious health problems, or even death, within 24 hours if left untreated. If treated early, the symptoms of bacterial meningitis can improve in as little as 2-3 days.
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Can you go into a coma from meningitis?

Infections such as encephalitis and meningitis cause swelling of the brain, spinal cord or the tissues that surround the brain. Severe cases of these infections can result in brain damage or a coma.
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Which type of meningitis has highest mortality rate?

Executive Summary. Bacterial meningitis is a devastating disease that is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity. Major causative bacteria are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitis, with case-fatality rates of 30% and 7% in higher-income countries.
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What is complicated meningitis?

Meningitis is an uncommon complication of head trauma, and posttraumatic meningitis is a rare complication of head injury in children and can occur with no sign of dural tear or basal skull fracture [3]. Pneumococcal meningitis, often recurrent, have been reported in patients with histories of prior head trauma.
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How does meningitis cause death?

Conclusion. The cause of death from meningitis is very diverse but can on a superior level be divided into local CNS- or systemic complications. CNS complications present with abnormal brain imaging in 2/3 of cases and are most commonly caused by pneumococci.
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How does meningitis damage the brain?

Several types of bacteria can first cause an upper respiratory tract infection and then travel through the bloodstream to the brain. The disease can also occur when certain bacteria invade the meninges directly. Bacterial meningitis can cause stroke, hearing loss, and permanent brain damage.
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Can meningitis affect your heart?

Conclusions— Endocarditis is an uncommon coexisting condition in bacterial meningitis but is associated with a high rate of unfavorable outcome.
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Who is generally at highest risk for meningitis Why?

Infants, teens and young adults, and older adults have the highest rates of meningococcal disease in the United States.
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What are the prognosis and potential long term complications of meningitis?

If left untreated, the infection can cause brain damage or even death. Antibiotics can usually eliminate the bacteria. Still, about 10 to 15 percent of cases result in death even when antibiotics are used. Among people who recover, 11 to 19 percent will experience long-term complications.
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