Classic symptoms include fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, a dislike of bright light and increasing drowsiness or coma. In babies, a refusal of feeds, a shrill cry, cold extremities and either muscle rigidity or obvious floppiness are additional symptoms. Many patients make a full recovery but even with appropriate treatment deafness, blindness, mental retardation, paralysis and death may occur. This is especially true in the case of bacterial forms of meningitis. Septicaemia is another complication that has a worse outlook than meningitis alone, with a mortality of up to 40 per cent.
Viral meningitis is less severe and requires nursing care only.
Bacterial meningitis require antibiotics urgently, which are often given by injection prior to hospitalization and laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis to save precious minutes. In a few specialist centres, pioneering haemo-dialysis techniques that filter and purify the blood may also be used. Both vaccines have proved enormously successful and safe since their introduction on a national scale. While vaccines have helped, some forms of meningitis still pose a threat. Vigilance in recognizing the early symptoms and signs of meningitis remains vital in preventing further deaths and disability.