Reactive meningitis is an infectious inflammatory process that occurs in the membranes of the spinal cord as well as the brain. Often, the disease is called fulminant meningitis, as it develops rapidly. Lethal outcome in an adult can occur only a day after the lesion, and in children after only a few hours.
Causes of reactive meningitis
Infection is caused by infection with pathogenic microorganisms:
- meningococci;
- Group B streptococci ;
- pneumococci.
In addition, reactive meningitis can become a complication of the disease. This list includes:
- otitis;
- glomerulonephritis;
- pneumonia;
- endocarditis;
- sinusitis.
Infection with microorganisms occurs in several ways:
- airborne droplets;
- through the placenta from mother to child;
- contact;
- with a current of blood or lymph;
- on the tissues enveloping nerves.
In addition, the infection can penetrate through the cracks of bone tissue as a result of trauma.
Symptoms of reactive meningitis
Infection leads to a disruption of microcirculation in the membranes of the brain and the vascular network. Due to insufficient absorption of fluid in the patient, intracranial pressure rises sharply, in fact, hydrocele is formed. Progression of the process leads to the spread of inflammation to the roots of the cranial, as well as spinal nerves.
The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- A sharp rise in temperature to 40 degrees in the initial period. The heat is easily lost, then the temperature rises again and the antipyretic drugs are ineffective.
- Multiple indomitable vomiting. Attacks do not depend on food intake and begin literally from the first hours of illness.
- Sticking headache, which is significantly worse with sound light stimuli, and also with movements. To ease the pain, a man pulls his knees to his stomach, and throws his head back. It is thanks to this pose that you can understand that this is a meningococcal infection .
- Irritability, inherent in the initial phase, is soon replaced by confusion.
- The skin acquires a gray shade. With reactive meningitis intensely manifested patchy-papular rash.
- There are marked muscular pains with the possibility of seizures.
Help in the presence of such symptoms should be given urgently. Otherwise, the forecast is unfavorable.