Bacterial Meningitis Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Classic symptoms can develop over several hours, or may take 1 to 2 days:

• High fever
• Headache
• Very stiff, sore neck

Other symptoms may include:

• Red or purple skin rash
• Cyanosis (bluish skin color)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Photophobia (sensitivity to bright lights)
• Sleepiness
• Mental confusion

In newborns and infants, symptoms are hard to see. As a result infants under three months old with a fever are often checked for meningitis. Symptoms in newborns and infants may include:

• Inactivity
• Unexplained high fever or any form of temperature instability, including a low body temperature
• Irritability
• Vomiting
• Jaundice (yellow color to the skin)
• Feeding poorly or refusing to eat
• Tautness or bulging of soft spots between skull bones
• Difficulty awakening

As the illness progresses, seizures and/or hearing loss can occur. This can happen to patients of all ages.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.

Tests may include the following:

• Spinal tap —removal of a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid to check for bacteria
• Other cultures—testing of samples of blood, urine, mucous, and/or pus from skin infections
• MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the body (to be sure the inflammation is not from some other cause, such as a tumor)
• CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the body