The symptoms you feel and how a doctor treats the infection depend on what kind of organism is causing it. The bad news is that if meningiococcal infection goes untreated, it can lead to permanent disabilities, such as hearing loss, brain damage, seizures or even death. If meningitis is caught early, it is treatable in most cases. There are two kinds of meningitis, each caused by a different type of organism. Viral Meningitis is the most common form of the disease and is usually not as serious as bacterial meningitis.
Patients usually get better with minimal treatment.
Bacterial Meningitis is often referred to as meningiococcal meningitis. Because it can easily be spread, this type can cause outbreaks in a specific area, such as a college campus. Infection can cause serious illness, long-lasting effects on the nervous system or death within 24 to 48 hours. College students have a greater risk of meningiococcal infection because of activities such as smoking, being around someone who smokes, going out to the bars, drinking alcohol and living in a residence hall. The infection is easily spread through direct contact with oral secretions such as through coughing, sharing of utensils or kissing.