Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges (fine layers of tissue that surround and protect the brain and the spinal cord) due to a viral infection.
Factors that increase the risk of suffering from it include extremes of age at both ends of life, a deficient immune system, alcoholism, overcrowded living conditions, and people with a dysfunctional or missing spleen.
It typically manifests with fever, headache, altered mental state, abnormal intolerance to light (photophobia) and stiffness of the neck muscles. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, skin lesions (purple rash), drowsiness, confusion, convulsions, irritability, etc.
It is diagnosed by means of clinical history and a physical examination, which will look for stiffness in the neck and it should be confirmed by means of additional tests such as laboratory tests, tests of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture, CT-scan, MRI, etc.
Hospital admission is required to control its course in cases where symptoms affect the general state of the patient. Treatment is usually based on the control of the symptoms.
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