Meningitis Essay examples -- Health, Diseases

In nineteenth century Geneva, a family came down with a strange disease genius that had never previously been diagnosed. In a short time, many an(prenominal) people in their town were infected and thirty-three people were left field dead. This strange disease was later determined to be meningitis. In 1806, the coupled States saw its first outbreak of meningitis in Massachusetts. It was not until 1887, however, that Professor Anton Weichselbaum was fitted to determine a cause of meningitis a bacterium called Neisseria meningitides. Penicillin was first use to combat meningitis in 1944, and in 1978, a vaccine became available. The usage of vaccines was hurtful in the battle to gain go through over the spread of meningitis (7). still with these vaccines, however, meningitis continues to infect individuals to solar day.Meningitis is the gibbosity of the meninges that surround the central nervous system. The tri-layered membrane is composed of the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater, which protect the brain and spinal anesthesia cord. Meningitis is contagious to other people. It commode be spread through deputise of saliva, as well as from coughing and sneezing (4). Everyone is at jeopardy for catching meningitiseven people in good health. It is especially joint in young people living in close propinquity to each other, such as in college dorms (6). Meningitis can be caused by several things. The more common causes include bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Other, less common causes of meningitis can be cancer, brain surgery, drugs, and chemicals (3). Bacterial meningitis is the most severe form and one must seek medical attention immediately (8). Bacterial meningitis is up to(p) of killing a person in just one day (6). At least thirteen strains of such bacteria exist (15). The ... ... causes swelling of the meninges surrounding the spinal cord and the brain. Meningitis can be caused by several things- the most common are bacteria, viruses, and fu ngus. Symptoms are comparable to that of the grippe in that respectfore people may not initially realize that they cast off this disease. The earlier a person seeks intervention, the better the outcome. Most people get through their battle again meningitis, but some come away with indestructible affects. Meningitis has been around for hundreds of years, and in that time period, there have been many advances do in the handling of the disease. With the invention of modern vaccines, meningitis is under better control and the occurrences of infection are much lower than they were in the past. With continuing research, there is still hope to make more gains in the prevention and treatment of meningitis and potentially save more lives.