How is spinal meningitis transmitted from person to person?

Answer 1

The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). I had viral spinal meningitis as a young woman. I was told there are eight types of meningitis-- four types of viral and four types of bacterial. My doctor thought I had been bitten by a mosquito. Though I was not quarentined, to be safe I was given a private room in the hospitol. Others were allowed in without hazmat suits. Wheras bacterial is treatable with antibiotics, it 's onset is so immediate that often it can be too late. Viral meningitis has no treatment and the recovery takes months but is likely.

Answer 2

Although meningitis is a notifiable disease in many countries, the exact incidence rate is unknown. Bacterial meningitis occurs in about 3 people per 100,000 annually in Western countries. Population-wide studies have shown that viral meningitis is more common, at 10.9 per 100,000, and occurs more often in the summer. In Brazil, the rate of bacterial meningitis is higher, at 45.8 per 100,000 annually. Sub-Saharan Africa has been plagued by large epidemics of meningococcal meningitis for over a century, leading to it being labeled the "meningitis belt". Epidemics typically occur in the dry season (December to June), and an epidemic wave can last two to three years, dying out during the intervening rainy seasons. Attack rates of 100-800 cases per 100,000 are encountered in this area, which is poorly served by medical care. These cases are predominantly caused by meningococci. The largest epidemic ever recorded in history swept across the entire region in 1996-1997, causing over 250,000 cases and 25,000 deaths.

Meningococcal disease occurs in epidemics in areas where many people live together for the first time, such as army barracks during mobilization, college campuses and the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Although the pattern of epidemic cycles in Africa is not well understood, several factors have been associated with the development of epidemics in the meningitis belt. They include: medical conditions (immunological susceptibility of the population), demographic conditions (travel and large population displacements), socioeconomic conditions (overcrowding and poor living conditions), climatic conditions (drought and dust storms), and concurrent infections (acute respiratory infections).

Due to the type of question, a full answer was necessary. The source has been taken from Wikipedia.

Answer 3

Meningococcal bacteria live naturally in the back of the nose and throat in about 5 - 15% of the population without causing illness (even higher percentages of carriers may be found in outbreaks and in young adults). People of any age can 'carry' the germs without becoming ill. Although anyone could be a carrier at some time, carriers are most common among young adults, especially men and smokers.

The meningococcal bacteria are passed from person to person by regular, close, prolonged household and intimate contact with secretions from the back of the nose and throat. This can occur when someone coughs or sneezes directly in your face, or through kissing, sharing drinks, eating utensils, smokes, or putting anything in your mouth that has been in someone else's mouth (hookah mouthpiece, lipstick, etc).

They cannot be picked up from water supplies, Swimming Pools, buildings or factories. Meningococcal bacteria are only found in humans, are fragile and, depending upon the strain, only live from minutes up to a few hours outside the body. You cannot catch meningococcal germs from animals.

Household contacts of a case of invasivemeningococcal infection (meningitis or septicemia) have about three to 10 chances in 1,000 of developing the disease, which is several hundred times higher than the risk of meningococcal disease for the average person. For this reason, all close contacts of cases are advised to take an effective antibiotic (usually 1 dose of Ciprofloxacin or 2 days (4 doses) of Rifampin.)

Answer 4

Spinal meningitis is a bacterial infection that can be caught from exposure to certain types of bacteria. Other causes include fungal infections and different types of cancer.

Answer 5

how was the disease meningitis transmitted

Answer 6

this spreads by touching or even contacktuwal

Answer 7

Spinal Meningitis can be caused by exchanging bodily fluids that come from the mouth by coughing sharing drinks and being in a tight area with someone with it