is meningitis transmissible
Meningitis is contagious. Prolonged close contact can spread the bacteria that cause meningitis. The bacteria can be spread through kissing, coughs and sneezes, shared cutlery, or sharing items like toothbrushes or cigarettes.
The germs that cause bacterial meningitis can be contagious. Some bacteria can spread through the exchange (e.g., by kissing) of respiratory and throat secretions (e.g., saliva or mucus). Fortunately, most of the bacteria that cause meningitis are not as contagious as viruses that cause the common cold or the flu.