Bacterial Meningitis

Bacterial meningitis can be very severe, leading to fatality in cases and can otherwise cause serious complications such as brain damage, loss of limbs, hearing loss, or learning disabilities for those who survive. There are lots of factors which can contribute to the risk of bacterial meningitis such as age for example. Infants from 0 to 5 years old are more at risk than other age groups, but people of any age can contract the disease, students being the second high-risk age group. Other factors such as community settings for example, those in a close contact environments like college students are more at risk as infectious diseases tend to spread more quickly in larger groups in which people gather together.

Bacterial meningitis can be treated effectively with antibiotics, but it is vital these are started as soon as possible. Approximately 1 in 3 people who survive bacterial meningitis will unfortunately suffer an after effect. These after affects can range from mild to severe disabilities. Some may improve with time, although unfortunately some may not. There are vaccines to help protect against some strains of meningitis and septicaemia in Ireland, but unfortunately not all yet.