How serious is aseptic meningitis?

Aseptic (viral) meningitis is serious but rarely fatal in healthy people with normal immune systems. Usually, symptoms last from 7 to 10 days and the patient recovers completely. People with this condition may have the following symptoms: Headache.

What is an aseptic meningitis?

The term aseptic meningitis refers to patients who have clinical and laboratory evidence for meningeal inflammation with negative routine bacterial cultures. The most common causes are the enteroviruses [1].

How long does aseptic meningitis last?

Unlike other forms of meningitis, aseptic meningitis caused by a virus is usually a harmless disease. Less than 1% of patients have lasting symptoms. People usually recover fully 5 – 14 days after symptoms start. Fatigue and lightheadedness may last longer in some people.

How is aseptic meningitis contracted?

For viral aseptic meningitis, risk factors include those for the specific agents. Enteroviruses can be transmitted by exposure to an infected individual’s secretions entering the oral cavity through sneezing or oral fecal contact.

Is aseptic meningitis curable?

Aseptic meningitis is often a mild condition, and you may recover without medication or treatment. Many of the symptoms are similar to those of the common cold or flu so you may never know you had aseptic meningitis.

Does aseptic meningitis go away on its own?

Very few people with aseptic meningitis end up with a lasting illness. The majority of cases resolve within one to two weeks after the onset of symptoms. In rare cases, aseptic meningitis can lead to brain infections.

Does aseptic meningitis require isolation?

Meningococcal meningitis patients should be placed on droplet precautions (private room, mask for all entering the room) until they have completed 24 hours of appropriate antibiotic therapy. Negative pressure ventilation is not required. Patients with pneumococcal or viral meningitis do not require isolation.

Is aseptic meningitis the same as viral meningitis?

Although it is usually caused by certain viruses, it has a number of other etiologies as well, both infectious and noninfectious. Hence, the term aseptic meningitis is no longer synonymous with viral meningitis, although the two are still often used interchangeably.

Can you get aseptic meningitis twice?

Can you get meningitis more than once? It is very unusual for anyone to have meningitis more than once, but it is possible. Most people some develop immunity to the organism that has caused their disease.

What is pediatric meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the thin membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord. It is most often caused by a bacterial or viral infection that moves into the cerebral spinal fluid. A fungus or parasite may also cause meningitis.