Meningitis is an infection of the fluid that surrounds a person's brain and spinal cord. People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis . Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial agent. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or a bacterial agent is important because the severity of illness and the treatments differ.
Viral meningitis is usually less severe and gets better without specific treatment.
For bacterial meningitis, it is important to know which type of bacteria is responsible because antibiotics can prevent some types from spreading and infecting other people. In the 1990s, a Hib vaccine was given to all children as part of their routine immunizations. This has dramatically reduced the occurrence of Hib meningitis. High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 years. These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days.