FightMeningitis.com | Meningitis & Meningococcal Effects on the Body

Table: The effects of meningitis inside the body. The timing of events shown may vary from patient to patient.
TEXT:	VISUAL/ANIMATION:
Contact (Day 1).	Meningococcal bacteria enter the body through the nose and mouth. Sharing drinks or lipstick are just two ways it can be spread. The bacteria can settle in the back of the nose and throat for weeks or months without causing illness.
Incubation (Day 1-5).	Under certain conditions, the bacteria can get through the mucous membrane and into the bloodstream. Once they are in the bloodstream, the bacteria begin to multiply rapidly. They double in number every 20 to 30 minutes.
Infection (Day 5, 9 am � 9 pm).	The bacteria releases toxins, or poisons. The body�s immune system starts to fight the infection. Common symptoms during this time are similar to the flu � fever, vomiting, and drowsiness. If left untreated, the bacteria may cause inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (the meninges), or can poison the blood (a condition called sepsis).
Meningitis/Septicemia (Day 5 evening � morning of Day 6).	When the bacteria infect the meninges, the condition is called meningitis. Swelling in the meninges creates pressure around the brain that can cause nerve damage. It also leads to symptoms including severe headache, sensitivity to bright light, stiff neck, and confusion. Meanwhile, as the bacteria are multiplying rapidly in the bloodstream, they begin to release toxins, or poison, resulting in blood poisoning, called septicemia. The toxins cause the white blood cells to release a chemical that makes the walls of blood vessels sticky. The white blood cells stick to the walls and damage the blood vessels. Platelets in the blood will begin to clot to try and repair the damage to the blood vessels. They will also stick to the white blood cells, and the blood vessels will eventually become blocked. When blood vessels become blocked, the surrounding tissues die. The damaged vessels disintegrate, allowing blood and other fluids to leak out. Other blood vessels will be affected throughout the body, causing damage to the major organs, including the heart. This results in symptoms that include a dark purple rash, fever with cold hands and feet, and shock.
Treatment.	Meningococcal disease is treated with high doses of intravenous antibiotic drugs. These are not always successful in preventing the worst that meningococcal disease can cause � death, brain damage, loss of limbs, and more.
Vaccination.	Most cases of meningococcal disease in the United States (as many as 83 percent in adolescents and young adults) could be prevented by a single vaccination.³ Ask your child�s health-care provider about how to protect your child.