Viral meningitis occurs in late spring and summer and is more common than bacterial meningitis. Symptoms and signs of viral meningitis are stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, and rash. Most cases of viral meningitis have a short, uneventful course and are not effectively treated by antibiotics. Bacterial meningitis occurs rarely and sporadically throughout the year, although outbreaks tend to occur in late winter and early spring. Neisseria meningitidis or Streptococcus pneumoniae are the cause of most cases of bacterial meningitis in college-aged students.
Meningococcal meningitis can cause grave illness and rapidly progresses to death.
Therefore, it requires early diagnosis and treatment. Unlike viral meningitis, people who have had intimate contact with a person who has meningococcal meningitis require prophylactic therapy. Untreated meningococcal disease can be fatal. A person's immune system and bacterial factors play a key role in the disease's development. The bacteria can not live outside of the body for more than a few moments.