Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain.
People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis.
High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis. Yes, some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis is as contagious as the common cold or the flu, and none is spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air near a person with meningitis. Approximately 3,000 cases of meningoccal disease occur each year in the United States, and 10-13 percent of patients die despite receiving antibiotics early in the illness. Of those who survive, an additional 10 percent have severe complications of the disease, including mental retardation, hearing loss, and loss of limbs.