Meningitis should not be confused with encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain itself. If bacterial meningitis is diagnosed early and treated promptly, most people make a full recovery. However, in some cases it can be fatal, or lead to permanent handicaps like deafness and brain damage. To read more information on bacterial meningitis read this Bacterial Meningitis Fact Sheet . Meningococcal meningitis, and particularly the group B strain, is the most common bacterial form.
Meningococcal meningitis accounts for more than half the cases.
To read more information on meningococcal meningitis read this Meningitis Fact Sheet. Anyone of any age can get meningitis. The germs that cause bacterial meningitis are very common and live naturally in the back of the nose and throat. People of any age can carry these germs without becoming ill. It is only rarely that they overcome the body's defenses and cause meningitis.