Meningitis infection. Symptoms in children, how the virus manifests itself, serous, incubation period, consequences. Diagnosis, how to treat

In children meningitis is severe , with multiple infectious symptoms developing, the brain is affected, and pathological disorders of the cerebrospinal fluid occur. This is a dangerous pathology, accompanied by a large number of complications, it can lead to death.

In most cases, meningitis is diagnosed in newborns and children under 6 years of age; boys are also more susceptible to the disease. To prevent the development of neuroinfection, parents should know as much as possible about this inflammatory process.

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What is meningitis

Meningitis is a dangerous viral infection that affects the brain and spinal cord. The process of inflammation occurs in tissues and fluids, affecting the central nervous system. An untreated disease can lead to dire consequences, including cerebral edema and death.

The causative agent of this disease is the bacteria meningococcus. They can enter the human body through airborne droplets, from a carrier of an already sick person, or be detected as a consequence of injuries and infections.

It is very important to recognize meningitis in time. At risk are people with weak immune systems, carriers of tuberculosis, and premature babies. Children under the age of five and teenagers also get sick very often. The initial forms of the disease are similar in symptoms to a cold or flu. Seeing a doctor immediately will not only help you get better, but it can also save your life.

The body of a person cured of meningitis produces special antibodies that prevent recurrence of the disease and create immunity. However, a number of factors can influence reinfection.

Determining the average time for the incubation period for the development of the disease is quite problematic, since it depends on many factors - the nature of the occurrence of meningitis infection, the strength of the immune system of the patient and the routes of infection. This can be a period of time from 3 to 20 days.

Characteristics of the incubation stage

The risk of infectious damage to nervous tissue increases in patients who have undergone surgery in the cranial area, surgery to bypass the ventricular system, or with a history of traumatic brain injury. The following factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of meningitis:

• Properties of the pathogen. Virulence (the degree of the pathogen’s ability to infect the body), neurotropism (the desire of the pathogen for nervous tissue).
• The reaction of the body of an infected person. Influencing factors: age, dietary habits, social and living conditions, previous injuries in the head area, immune status.
• The background on which microorganisms and macroorganisms come into contact. Influencing factors: overheating, hypothermia, insolation (exposure to sunlight).

Depending on how meningitis is transmitted, the length of the incubation period may vary. With oral and airborne infection, the disease often develops faster. Main routes of transmission:

1. Contact and household. The infection is transmitted from a sick person by coughing, sneezing, or talking through airborne droplets. The agent enters the mucous membrane of the mouth and nasopharynx, from where it spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream. The agent is transmitted by contact if personal hygiene is not observed.
2. Hematogenous. The spread of pathogens throughout the body occurs through the bloodstream. This path of development of the disease is associated with the presence of foci of inflammation in different organs, from where pathogens enter the area of ​​the meninges through the bloodstream. When inflammation of the respiratory tract, tuberculosis, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, candidiasis, Lyme disease, and autoimmune connective tissue diseases is detected, the risk of meningitis increases.
3. When using invasive medical equipment (intravenous catheters, surgical instruments).
4. Placental. The infectious agent is transmitted from mother to fetus. In medical practice, this route of transmission of meningitis is rare.
5. Perineural. Through layers of connective tissue.

You can become infected by swimming in a body of water, if the water is contaminated and there are sick people or carriers of the infectious agent in the water pool at the same time. You can get sick by eating contaminated food and water. Some types of pathogens are transmitted by the bite of insects, mainly encephalitis ticks.

Initial symptoms of meningitis in adults may occur during the incubation period. A febrile state (chills alternating with fever) develops against the background of toxic damage to the body. As a result of the active reproduction and activity of pathogenic microorganisms, toxic substances are released that provoke such reactions.

After the agent penetrates the tissues of the nervous system in the area of ​​the meninges, the first meningeal and cerebral symptoms appear. Symptoms are associated with irritation of the membranes. This period is characterized by increased production of cerebrospinal fluid with a violation of its resorption - absorption. Other primary signs:

1. Swelling of brain tissue in the area of ​​the membranes.
2. General intoxication of the body.
3. Increased intracranial pressure values. Against the background of a destructive process, hydrocephalus develops.

After the incubation period of meningitis is completed, changes occur in the body of adults (increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier, damage to the endothelial layer of intracranial capillaries, impaired blood microcirculation, metabolic disorders, hypoxic processes), which subsequently lead to the appearance of characteristic symptoms.

In fulminant and acute cases, symptoms may appear several hours after incubation. On visual examination, Kernig's and Brudzinski's symptoms, increased body temperature, pain in the head area, and other meningeal signs are observed.

Against the background of the proliferation of pathogenic microflora, cerebral edema often develops, which leads to the appearance of cerebral, focal symptoms (stupidity, depression of consciousness, convulsions) in the early stages of the disease. Following the incubation period, children develop initial symptoms of meningitis:

1. Body temperature rises to 38-41º.
2. Pain in the head area, dizziness. The pain is diffuse, intense, bursting.
3. Hemorrhagic rash.
4. Lack of appetite.
5. Apathy, lethargy, drowsiness or, on the contrary, increased irritability, psychomotor agitation.
6. Increased sensitivity to external influences - bright light, loud sounds.
7. Lessage's sign (in infants).

Rigidity of the neck muscles - hardness, spasticity, inflexibility, myalgia - pain in the muscle tissue, tachycardia - heart rhythm disturbance, hyperemia - redness of the facial skin, complement the overall picture of the initial manifestations of the pathology.

Causes of disease in children

Most often, meningitis affects children under 5 years of age with a weak immune system and adolescents whose bodies are undergoing serious age-related changes. It is transmitted through air and liquids and is contagious.

At the same time, bacteria do not live long in an open environment, so there is a high probability of becoming infected after close contact with a carrier. Side factors, such as hypothermia, weakened immunity, mild colds, will only contribute to the development of the virus.

There are several ways of transmitting the disease:

• both purulent and viral forms can be transmitted by contact from a carrier - by sneezing, kissing, hugging, coughing;
• in case of non-compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards - through unwashed hands, hygiene items and personal items, which is especially dangerous for children in kindergartens and schools;
• during labor (most often during a cesarean section) from mother to child, provided that the mother is a carrier;
• when bitten by an insect, for example, an encephalitis tick, the virus is transported in the blood throughout the body;
• through blood or other fluids;
• through spores on unwashed fruits and vegetables (a form of fungal meningitis).

Also, the purulent form of the disease can develop as a consequence of other untreated diseases, for example, pneumonia, otitis media, rhinitis, diseases in the oral cavity (caries).

Bad habits, unfavorable living conditions, infections, weakened immunity, diabetes, and improper medication use are excellent conditions for the development of the virus inside the body.

Forms of meningitis and their symptoms

Common symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, chills, rashes on the body and mucous membranes. However, the disease takes different forms and can manifest itself in different ways.

Depending on the nature of the inflammation process, meningitis is divided into:

• Purulent - purulent inflammation of the soft membrane of the brain due to the presence of microorganisms (pneumococci, meningococci, streptococci).
• Serous - inflammation in the soft membrane of the brain due to viruses and bacteria.

Based on the nature of origin, they distinguish:

• Primary form - develops as an independent disease, without previous infection.
• Secondary form – is a complicated form of the underlying disease.

Viral, fungal, bacterial, protozoal and mixed species are also distinguished. It is most difficult to identify symptoms in young children, who still express all their discontent and pain by crying.

Therefore, parents of babies should be especially careful about the following symptoms:

• increased temperature (although the legs and arms may remain cold);
• the place of the fontanel is swollen;
• refusal to eat;
• vomiting, frequent regurgitation;
• drowsiness, reluctant and difficult movements;
• stomach ache;
• pallor of the skin, however, the area of ​​the nasolabial triangle may be blue;
• convulsions are possible.
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Meningitis infection (symptoms in children are mixed and individually can indicate other diseases) appears quite often in childhood. Immediate consultation with a doctor will help identify the nature of the disease and prevent undesirable consequences, since deterioration occurs especially quickly in children.

How do the symptoms appear?

Meningitis in adults has special symptoms, but unfortunately, many of them go unnoticed or are eliminated by taking medications. This not only relieves symptoms, but also significantly delays the patient’s necessary visit to the doctor.

The main symptoms of meningitis in adults are as follows:

1. 
   Headache is the main companion of meningitis, but this syndrome differs in that:

   the pain does not stop;
2. the skull seems to be bursting from the inside;
3. when tilting and turning the head, the pain intensifies;
4. The headache increases with loud noises and being in bright light.
5. The muscles in the back of the head tense. Sleeping on your back becomes impossible. There is a desire to tilt your head back, otherwise severe pain is experienced.
6. Digestive problems. The inflammatory process can cause nausea and vomiting. In this case, vomiting will be constant, even if the patient refuses to eat food.
7. Hyperthermia. The body begins to shiver, lethargy occurs, and body sweating increases.
8. Photophobia. It is difficult for the patient to look at bright light, as this can cause pain in the head.
9. Impaired consciousness. When the level of consciousness decreases, lethargy appears, information is slowly processed by the brain, and in advanced cases the patient does not pay attention to other people’s speech at all.
10. Mental disorder. Hallucinations, aggression and apathy may occur.
11. Convulsive syndrome. Cramps of the arms and legs occur, and voluntary urination and defecation may occur.
12. Strabismus. If the optic nerves are damaged, severe strabismus may develop.

If you notice signs of meningitis in adults, do not ignore them!

Serous meningitis

The serous form is caused by a viral infection.

There are three ways of transmission from the carrier:

• through the air - when coughing, sneezing, kissing;
• upon contact with objects of the sick person or his skin, when pathogens from the wounds or mucous membranes of the patient get on them;

• water can also be a carrier of the virus, especially during the swimming season.

With this type of meningitis, there is a high temperature, which can decrease for 3-4 days and rise again, headaches, neck stiffness, in which it is difficult to press it to the chest, general drowsiness and weakness, manifestations of anorexia and vomiting. As a rule, all this is accompanied by symptoms of ARVI (cough, nasal congestion, sore throat). The incubation period can last up to 3 weeks.

In very young infants, frequent crying occurs and the fontanel swells. When lifting the child vertically, he tries to press his legs to his stomach.

If serous meningitis is suspected, the child must be hospitalized and inpatient treatment must be applied.

Viral disease

The viral form is similar in manifestations to the serous one. This is a damage to the membranes of the brain caused by a viral infection. At the same time, intracranial pressure increases, as there is an outflow of cerebrospinal fluid. As a rule, a viral disease is milder and has a more favorable outcome.

Meningitis infection (symptoms in children are described below), which is viral in nature, is transmitted through the air or by contact. The incubation period is much lower - only 2-4 days.

Symptoms in children with meningitis infection. The most dangerous is bacterial! His treatment is urgent, because... high chance of death

The disease is accompanied by a rapid rise in high temperature, weakness of the body as a whole, drowsiness, headache, symptoms of intoxication - diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain, nausea.

Cough and runny nose also appear. In infants, muscle rigidity and swelling of the fontanel are observed. However, with proper treatment, the disease is fleeting. After just 5 days, the temperature is close to normal and, on average, all symptoms disappear within 10 days.

First signs

Viral meningitis begins very acutely. At the end of the incubation period, the child develops a strong fever, the body temperature rises to 40 degrees, and sometimes exceeds this figure. At the same time, a fever breaks out and the child begins to become delirious.

Immediately after the child’s temperature rises, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted. After 23 hours, all the characteristic symptoms for this infection appear: stiffness of the neck muscles, Kernig’s and Brudzinski’s symptoms.

After a day, the following symptoms can be observed:

1. intoxication of the body;
2. nausea in a child, often ending in repeated vomiting without obvious improvement after the gag reflex;
3. dizziness that cannot be relieved with painkillers;
4. skin sensitivity, bone pain, joint and muscle problems;
5. cough;
6. due to digestive disorders, rashes appear on the body.

Important! The disease is characterized by successive waves of increasing symptoms. Initially, the temperature rises, vomiting appears, then other symptoms appear. After 7 days, clinical signs cease their progressive effect for 2–3 days and appear again.

As a rule, the disease lasts on average from 14 to 17 days. If during this period the characteristic signs of the disease cannot be extinguished, then more serious measures are taken, including hospitalization of the child.

There are a number of specific characteristic signs by which parents can independently understand whether their baby has viral meningitis or some other disease:

1. Body posture. During illness, it is convenient for the baby to lie on his side and at the same time throw back his head and pull his legs to his stomach.
2. When trying to bend the leg at the hip joint, the child becomes unable to straighten it at the knee.
3. If you put your baby on his back and ask him to tilt his head to his chest, you may notice an involuntary bending of the legs at the knees.
4. Strong muscle tension in the back of the head. A child lying on his back is unable to touch his chin to his chest.

Diagnosis of the disease

If the initial symptoms of meningitis appear, you should seek medical help as soon as possible. The earlier treatment begins, the greater the chance of a mild course of the disease and a positive outcome.

At the first consultation, the pediatrician must understand the medical history. The child should be prescribed tests, an electroencephalogram, fluorography, X-ray, and CT scan of the brain should be performed as soon as possible. He is also referred to an ophthalmologist to evaluate fundus pressure. To obtain a more accurate result, cerebrospinal fluid is taken for analysis.

Meningitis infection (symptoms in children are described above) is contagious, therefore, after confirmation of the diagnosis, the child should be immediately isolated and treatment should begin immediately.

Possible complications

In children, the most negative possible complications after meningitis, especially meningococcal in nature, are

• regular migraines
• delayed mental and emotional development
• epilepsy
• blindness
• hearing loss
• renal failure

The severity of complications in children is directly related to two indicators - the causative agent of the disease and the speed of treatment started. A child who has become a victim of bacterial meningitis should be under the supervision of a pediatric neurologist for a year after the illness.

Treatment regimen for meningitis in children

Children who have been diagnosed with meningitis are subject to mandatory hospitalization.

Treatment begins immediately according to the following scheme:

• Hospitalization of a sick child, compliance with bed rest, a special diet, and complete rest is prescribed.
• The course of treatment begins with the selection of an antibacterial drug or group of drugs.
• When the viral etiology of the disease is established, an antiviral agent is added.
• In case of problems with the respiratory system, respiratory support is introduced

The further course of treatment is adjusted depending on the course of the disease. On average, drug support is provided from 10 to 14 days.

Drug therapy

The main goal of treatment is to influence the causative agent of the disease, and, as a result, eliminate the cause of the disease.

Treatment is carried out based on the nature of meningitis and its form - for each of them, the most effective drugs are recommended. Therefore, before receiving test results, doctors try to give broad-spectrum drugs.

Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, because it is impossible to independently determine the nature of the pathogen.

In addition to antibiotics, the course of treatment must include antihistamines to prevent allergies to medications, as well as drugs to eliminate the symptoms of the disease.

Thus, for purulent meningitis after antibiotics, the course of treatment must include B vitamins, tonic and dehydrating agents, and ascorbic acid. And when treating the serous form, anti-tuberculosis drugs are added to the antibiotic, for example, Isoniazid and Ethambutol.

How to treat?

Antibacterial therapy plays a significant role in treatment. At the first manifestations of the disease, treatment with antibiotics begins; in this case, the doctor prescribes broad-spectrum medications included in the group of penicillins, cephalosporins, and macrolides.

Such drugs are administered intravenously; in severe cases of meningitis, drugs are administered endolumbarally (into the spinal canal). The duration of such a course is determined by the doctor, but its use will be carried out only after the patient’s body temperature has normalized.

• Diuretics are used to prevent cerebral edema. Diuretics are administered simultaneously with the liquid. When using diuretics, it is important to consider that they flush calcium from the body.
• Detoxification reduces the manifestations of intoxication in the body. The patient is injected with saline solution, 5% glucose solution, etc.


You should not self-medicate and put your life at additional risk; it is important to consult a doctor immediately.

The duration of treatment varies, often depending on how severe the disease is, taking into account the general condition of the person. At the end of the hospital stay, it is continued on an outpatient basis. The sooner symptoms of meningitis in adults are detected and treated, the better the recovery will be.

The process of restoring health after an illness can take about a year, or even more, so the question of returning to previous activities is individual for each person.

Antibiotics

In general, antibiotic therapy lasts from 10 days, but can be extended to avoid complications, and it must last for at least a week after the temperature has dropped.

The choice of the type of antibiotic by the attending physician depends on the results of tests and studies of a particular case. For each type of meningitis, a specific drug is selected that is most active against this type of bacteria.

Vaccination

To avoid infection it is possible to get vaccinated. Its effectiveness is assessed as very high - up to 90%, so parents should carefully consider this event. Vaccination is carried out annually, its effect lasts three years. It is also necessary to vaccinate against infection when transmitted through an encephalitis tick. This vaccination is done every three to five years.

Meningitis infection (symptoms in children are more complex) is contagious, so if there are several children in the family, everyone should be vaccinated. Following simple hygiene rules and taking care of your health will also help you avoid contracting a meningitis infection.

Parents should instill the rules of personal hygiene in their children from an early age and carefully monitor their implementation. Hardening the body and consuming a rational amount of vitamins are the basic conditions for health.

If possible, you should protect your child from contact with someone with meningitis, and if it does occur, immediately contact a medical facility and closely monitor any changes in the child’s health.

Bibliography

1. MUK 4.2.1887-04 Laboratory diagnosis of meningococcal infection and purulent bacterial meningitis.
2. System of restorative therapy for acute neuroinfections in children: Guidelines / Research Institute of Children's Infections, St. Petersburg - St. Petersburg, 2009, 16 p.
3. Khabirov F.A. Guide to clinical neurology of the spine / F.A. Khabirov. - Kazan: Medicine, 2006. - 518 p.

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Symptomatic treatment

It is also important to quickly relieve symptoms of the disease, as they can interfere with general therapy and be dangerous for an already weakened patient.

It is necessary to take medications that relieve fever and relieve symptoms of ARVI. Only a doctor can prescribe the necessary medications for a child that are appropriate for his age. Usually this is Nurofen for children.

General therapy also includes diuretics: it is important to prevent the accumulation of fluid in the body and its location in soft tissues, including brain tissue.

Commonly prescribed drugs:

• "Uroglyuk" - administered intravenously, contraindicated in case of kidney disorders.
• “Mannitol” is also administered intravenously; unlike other drugs in this group, it does not contribute to the leaching of potassium from the body, and it reduces intracranial pressure well.
• "Furosemide" - administered intravenously, the effect occurs within a few minutes.
• "Dexamethosone" - administered intramuscularly, reduces intracranial pressure.
• Colloidal and crystalloid solutions - to maintain water-salt balance.

Hospital treatment

If you suspect a meningitis infection, your child should be seen by a doctor immediately. If the doctor also suspects this disease, then he must admit the child to the hospital for inpatient treatment, even if the tests are not yet ready. Any carrier of the bacteria is contagious, so it is important to isolate it as soon as possible.

If a child has been in contact with a person with meningitis, but symptoms have not yet appeared, then there is no reason to admit him to the hospital. You just need to carefully monitor him and keep all health changes under control. It would also be appropriate to take vitamins that boost immunity.

Traditional methods of treating meningitis in children

Currently, treatment of meningitis in children at home with herbal remedies is considered ineffective, and almost always ends in failure. Without antibiotic therapy, the effect will not be achieved and pathogenic microorganisms will still live inside.

The use of folk remedies may be appropriate only as an accompanying treatment to relieve individual symptoms, but must be used in combination with drug therapy.

For example, lavender infusion is used as a diuretic. Dried lavender flowers are diluted with water at the rate of 3 teaspoons of flowers to 2 cups of boiling water. Chamomile is used against cramps - it can be used either internally in the form of a solution or for soothing baths.

Linden flowers are used as a strengthening and anti-inflammatory agent. They need to be brewed as tea. For severe swelling, an enema can help; it is recommended to do it a couple of times a day.

All of the above remedies will not be effective without a basic course of treatment with medications prescribed by a doctor.

Prevention

Prevention to prevent viral meningitis in children includes:

• limiting any contact with carriers of meningococcal infection,
• mandatory vaccination (MMR, chickenpox, pneumococcus, meningococcal vaccination),
• timely treatment of any infections,
• compliance with personal hygiene rules (hand washing, clean dishes, etc.),
• proper nutrition,
• avoiding drinking untreated or unboiled water,
• hardening,
• healthy lifestyle (walking in the fresh air, playing sports, etc.).

Pediatrician of the 2nd category, allergist-immunologist, graduated from the Belarusian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Health and Social Development. Read more », Rate this article: (6 rated 4.67 out of 5) Loading...Share with friends!

Consequences of meningitis and prognosis

Meningitis infection is an extremely dangerous disease and the consequences can be very dire. If treatment is incorrectly formulated or ignored, death is very likely. Therefore, if any symptoms are observed in children that differ from a common cold or develop very quickly, then it is better to show the child to the doctor, and the sooner the better.

The consequences of meningitis in children can be very scary:

• visual impairment, up to complete blindness;
• hearing impairment, up to complete deafness;
• strabismus;

• problems with memory and attention;
• frequent headaches;
• chronic fatigue;
• paralysis;
• epilepsy.

In young children under one year old, this may also be mental retardation, hydrocephalus, or an increase in the size of the ventricles of the brain.

If treatment is delayed or a number of other factors occur, the disease may develop complications. Possible cerebral edema, which can cause fainting, large pressure drops, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat, and swelling in the lungs.

Due to the accumulation of waste products in the body, toxic shock may begin. The first symptoms will be rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and decreased temperature.

Prevention plays an important role in the fight against meningitis infection. You need to be careful about vaccinations and not miss deadlines. Great attention is paid to hygiene. Under no circumstances should you drink tap water, only bottled or boiled water.

It is imperative to teach your child to wash their hands after going outside and before each meal. It is also not recommended to eat unwashed vegetables and fruits, only scalded with boiling water. Take time to harden your body and take vitamins periodically.

If you come into contact with an already sick child, consult a doctor and get tested. Remember that children's symptoms may vary. Any disease is much easier to prevent and it is important to be attentive to any changes in the child’s body.

Author: Volkova Natalya Evgenievna (gerzennata)

Article design: Mila Friedan

Classification, pathogen, incubation period

Symptoms of meningitis in a child develop rapidly after infection of the body. It is recommended to immediately hospitalize the patient and begin treatment. In some situations, the incubation period is 2-10 days, when symptoms are mild.

Meningitis is classified as follows:

In children under one year of age, meningitis occurs, the causative agent of which is Haemophilus influenzae. Infants experience fever and frequent regurgitation or vomiting.