Currently, the two leading causes of bacterial meningitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis. Bacterial meningitis is usually more severe than viral and may progress to seizures, shock, coma, and death. Prompt medical evaluation and treatment is critical. Cultures of blood, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, petechial, or purpuric lesions will confirm diagnosis. Bacterial meningitis can be contagious.
Infection is spread through direct contact with nasopharyngeal secretions.
Early diagnosis is essential for antibiotic treatment to be effective. Some agents of bacterial meningitis exhibit antibiotic resistance. When N. meningitidis is the cause, chemoprophylaxis is indicated for high-risk contacts. There are now vaccines for prevention of some types of bacterial meningitis. In addition to the Hib vaccine, pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines are effective against S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis respectively.