Meningitis is a very dangerous pathology, which in adults is associated with very serious symptoms of headache and other signs. The disease requires surgical treatment in order to avoid serious consequences, complications and death of a person.

Meningitis is an inflammation that affects the central nervous system in the area of ​​the meninges. For the hard membrane, the inflammatory process is called pachymeningitis, and for the soft membrane, leptomeningitis. The course of the disease in both adults and children leads to severe suffering for the patient, which is directly related to the high sensitivity of the nerve endings in the lining of the brain. Pain in this part of the body is perceived especially clearly, so the main symptoms and signs of meningitis are pain.

Reasons

The causes of pathology include the action of viral and infectious pathogenic agents, the most common of which are:

• Tick-borne encephalitis. The majority of infection episodes do not affect the medulla, so there are no pronounced neurological symptoms.
• The causative agent of tuberculosis. This form of the disease is called tuberculous meningitis. It proceeds slowly and hard, and a person appears who has been sick with tuberculosis for a long time, which is why the body is significantly weakened.
• Manifestations meninococcal purulent meningitis. Its signs and symptoms are a classic set of this disease, the main of which is a hemorrhagic rash. Various complications are possible, including gangrene in the arms or legs. Today, such meningitis is a rare occurrence; it is more typical for children's institutions, where outbreaks usually occur.

More rare causes, due to which the meninges become inflamed in adults, is the effect of fungi or other pathogenic microflora. The capabilities of the immune system play an important role, so its significant weakening greatly increases the risk of meningitis and complicates treatment. For example, in people whose HIV has turned into AIDS, the disease can even cause the appearance of bacteria that are harmless to a healthy person. Moreover, the disease will be characterized by a severe course.

Classification of what serous meningitis is

Many inflammatory processes are accompanied purulent phenomena, and meningitis is no exception here, so if pus is present during inflammation, it is classified as purulent. After performing an autopsy on people who died from this pathology, an entire “purulent cap” covering the brain is often discovered.

The situation is different with such a phenomenon as serous meningitis. This form of pathology is easier to tolerate, since excess protein is not formed in the cerebrospinal fluid and it remains transparent - without pus. The serous form in adults is often formed as a result of a tick bite infected with encephalitis. The danger in this case may be a complicated form, the result of which often leads to the reappearance of pus.

Typically, this situation develops when an adult suffers an open traumatic brain injury. A common occurrence in this case is the appearance of a post-traumatic inflammatory process.

In addition to the peculiarities of the course, the presence of purulent manifestations and causes, an already existing disease is usually divided into by area affected, on which the first clinical signs and symptoms will directly depend. In this case, meningitis is distinguished:

• Basal when the base of the brain is affected
• Convexital, characterized by damage to the membranes of the hemispheres
• Spinal called a pathology that has completely affected the spinal membrane.

Based on the type of illness flow, but it happens:

• Lightning fast
• Chronic

The fulminant variety is usually caused by meningococcal sepsis, and the chronic type is caused by tuberculosis

• Additionally, the pathology is classified according to such characteristics as sensitivity to the effects of antibiotics, the presence of changes in the spinal cerebrospinal fluid, and others.

Consequences and complications

As we found out, serous meningitis passes without a purulent process. Thus, the form with signs of pus is considered more dangerous, so using its example we will look at what the most significant complications and negative consequences the disease has for adults:

• State septic shock when the supply of oxygen and other substances is disrupted due to reduced tissue perfusion
• Swelling, as a result of which the brain swells, which leads to dislocation of its tissues. A fairly common cause of death, symptoms of swelling usually occur in the first hours after infection.
• Migration of infectious agents into the cerebral cortex, which causes focal signs of meningoencephalitis to appear
• Development occlusive hydrocephalus, a very serious complication that occurs as a consequence of blocking the cerebrospinal fluid flow paths due to their soldering. The result of this deviation is rapid increase in intracranial pressure.

If early signs of meningitis appear, you should definitely contact a medical facility. Regardless of what symptoms are present at the moment, it is important to undergo treatment in a hospital setting, since it is very difficult to predict the complications and consequences of the disease, which can directly threaten life.

The first signs of meningitis

The most characteristic sign that an adult has meningitis is a headache. However, there are also earlier symptoms by which the onset of the disease can be recognized:

• Temperature rises body temperature up to 39 degrees or more, the patient is shivering
• Cutaneous hypertension when touching the skin causes discomfort.
• Photophobia and manifestation phonophobia when severe discomfort is caused by a noisy atmosphere

These signs are quite broad, they can be a precursor to a respiratory disease or a migraine attack, but, nevertheless, with their help you can navigate and draw conclusions if there are any suspicions. After one day, traditional clinical symptoms and signs of meningitis develop.

Symptoms of minengitis

Meningitis in adults is manifested by general cerebral symptoms, mainly expressed by persistent headache. The pain in the head can be so severe that the patient remembers exactly the time when it began. The combination with high temperature leading to fever leads to very rapid exhaustion, the patient gets tired very quickly.

Attempts to relieve combat syndrome lead to nothing; standard use of analgesics is just a waste of time. The point is a completely different mechanism, when, unlike conventional soreness, symptoms appear due to constantly irritated meninges. This happens due to a persistent inflammatory reaction, which leads to overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid.

The result is a sharp increase in pressure, the cerebrospinal fluid puts pressure on the inflamed areas, thereby further exacerbating the symptoms. In addition, a phenomenon called “ cerebral vomiting" This symptom does not in any way relate to gastrointestinal disorders. It appears as a result of irritation of the brain structure as a result of increased intracranial pressure. The result is absolutely sudden nausea, when vomit literally “spouts like a fountain.” The next second, the patient realizes that everything can happen again, trying to put things away so as not to spoil them. After vomiting, meningitis does not reduce its intensity.

Another symptom, which characterizes meningitis is called the shaken membrane symptom. The mechanism of its occurrence is very similar to the manifestation of intercostal neuralgia or lumbago in the lower back, when any concussion of the nerve that occurs during normal life activities responds with sharp pain. Unlike these pathologies, with meningitis such “neuralgic shootings” occur in the head, which is much more difficult to bear and sometimes deprives an adult of the opportunity to sleep and eat normally.

During any lifting of the head, an attempt to change posture, or even a simple inhalation, a person receives a dose of severe painful discomfort. Often meningitis is complicated by constipation, due to the fact that straining becomes simply impossible. In addition, pain is often present in the tendons and muscles.

Gradually, the patient, instinctively trying to avoid increasing negative sensations, acquires a characteristic posture. The patient is in a supine position on his side with his legs tucked toward the abdomen and his head thrown back.

The next characteristic sign, which occurs in adults and allows one to unambiguously identify the disease, is called ankylosing spondylitis's symptom. Its essence is that if you hit the cheekbone area with a small hammer, a sharp pain will appear not at the site of the blow, but in the entire area of ​​the head.

Another bright sign that a person has meningitis is the appearance of a headache when pressing with fingers on the eyes. Any such action is accompanied by a grimace characteristic of severe pain.

The symptoms described above are typical for serous and purulent forms meningitis in an adult. If any rashes appear on the skin, which gradually merge, it is highly likely that the patient has meningococcal meningitis.

Even from the description of the symptoms, it is clear that the situation is very serious. In this case, only urgent medical care can help; specialized doctors are an infectious disease specialist and a neurologist.

Further failure to take action threatens to increase intracranial pressure and toxic symptoms. In toga, the patient may lose consciousness due to infectious-toxic shock and the development of cerebral edema. At this point, a slow progression of coma and impaired eye movement begins, with general stupor and depressed consciousness.

Treatment of meningitis

Both purulent and serous meningitis in adults require mandatory treatment. The first stage of therapy is both a diagnosis and a measure to relieve acute symptoms. It's called " lumbar puncture” and consists of taking images of the cerebrospinal fluid. An important parameter in this case will be not only its color, consistency, and so on, but also how it flows out during puncture - drop by drop or in a strong stream. From this we can judge the pressure inside the skull. It is clear that releasing excess pressure brings great relief.

The cerebrospinal fluid is collected in a hospital setting, after which the person cannot get up for 24 hours. Further treatment is determined by analyzing the composition of the puncture taken. In general, the treatment process at the first stage consists of introducing antibiotics. If the disease is caused by tuberculosis, then treatment is carried out with appropriate drugs.

At the same time, they are starting to anti-inflammatory treatment, which consists of intravenous administration of corticosteroid hormones. These drugs provide good relief from painful sensations if the meningitis is both serous and purulent.

With timely and adequate treatment, within two days it is possible to achieve a significant improvement in the patient’s condition - the patient’s head pain dulls, the temperature drops, and he begins to eat normally.

Treatment prognosis

It is relatively easy to achieve an improvement in the condition of an adult with meningitis, but predicting a complete recovery is much more difficult. The effectiveness of treatment greatly depends on:

• How quickly was first aid provided?
• How severe is intoxication and fever?
• Are there hemorrhagic rashes?
• How severe are the cerebral symptoms of headache and vomiting?
• Does the patient have depressed consciousness?
• Did the puncture provide relief and what were the results of its analysis?
• How quickly did the acute symptoms of the disease subside?
• Are there any concomitant or background pathologies, how are they treated?

In general, the long-term prognosis of therapy can be considered favorable. Often, additional intake of nootropic drugs, absorbable agents, and preventive measures to prevent an increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure are required.

Serous meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes of the brain, provoked by the activation of pathogenic microflora of viral, fungal and bacterial origin. Accompanied by a pronounced symptom complex, which helps in diagnosis. The presence of serous meningitis and differentiation of its causative agent can only be determined by bacteriological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid.

There are two routes of infection:

1. Direct - pathogenic microorganisms enter through mucous membranes, wounds and household appliances from a sick person to a healthy one.
2. Indirect - the inflammatory process develops as a result of a skull injury, in which the meninges become infected.

A distinctive feature of the serous type of meningitis is the active production of serous exudate. There is no necrotic process, as well as purulent accumulations, which makes this type of disease less dangerous.

After microbes enter the body and the immune system is reduced, they spread and settle in biological fluids. Weakened immunity plays a key role in the onset of the disease. If natural defenses come into play immediately, then meningitis can be suppressed independently without outside help at the stage of the first signs of a respiratory disease.

Most often, the inflammatory process is provoked by a viral infection, which develops with the activation of cytomegalovirus, herpes virus, enteroviruses, measles and mumps viruses. Less commonly, the disease is of a bacterial nature, and fungal infections are diagnosed extremely rarely and are a consequence of the progression of autoimmune processes in the body.

Preschool children attending kindergarten are at risk. Frequent respiratory infections weaken the immune system, putting you at risk of meningitis. At a more mature age, a person develops stable immunity to most bacteria that provoke the development of serous meningitis.

Routes of infection and incubation period

There are 5 ways of infection:

1. Airborne - viruses are released along with the air, saliva, and tears of the patient. If a healthy person does not comply with personal protective measures, the risks of infection are extremely high.
2. Contact – when touching the skin and mucous membranes of a patient, viruses can spread over various distances and infect several dozen people at once.
3. Household - using someone else's personal hygiene items, clothing or other items guarantees infection, since viruses are perfectly adapted to life outside the human body, maintaining their biological activity.
4. Aqueous – characteristic of infection with enteroviruses that can accumulate in the intestines and spread through the bloodstream to the brain.
5. From rodents – infectious disease specialists have established that rats and mice are capable of carrying viruses that can cause meningitis.
6. Non-infectious - associated with the progression of tumors inside the meninges, which compress the gray matter and cause disruption of brain activity.

The incubation period lasts on average 3-10 days. During this time, pathogenic microorganisms actively multiply, causing the release of serous exudate. In turn, this substance causes irritation and pressure on the membranes of the brain, causing a number of characteristic neurological symptoms.

Symptoms

Symptoms of serous meningitis depend on the degree of progression of the disease. The manifestation of the disease is accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature, which subsides on the 3-4th day of the disease, but returns on the 5-6th day.

Manifestations in children

In childhood, in the presence of weak immunity, serous meningitis can have an acute course, the clinical manifestations of which increase rapidly. The child shows restlessness, constantly lies down and complains of pain in the head. Cephalgia intensifies with movement, so it is more comfortable for the baby to lie on a flat surface with the back of the head tilted back.

A high temperature rises, after which signs of intoxication develop:

• drying of the mucous membranes and skin, severe thirst;
• lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting;
• cramping abdominal pain, profuse diarrhea.

After the active production of serous exudate, neurological and meningeal symptoms develop, characteristic exclusively of meningitis:

• throwing the back of the head back and tucking the legs under the chest;
• constant tearfulness, lack of sleep;
• cramps and muscle hypertonicity;
• paresis of the limbs, decreased reflexes.

Lack of help leads to the development of infectious-toxic shock, after which irreversible processes develop in the body.

Manifestations in adults

Serous meningitis in adults is characterized by a longer incubation period and a gradual onset of clinical manifestations. Primary symptoms are associated with increasing intoxication:

• decreased endurance;
• lack of appetite;
• muscle and joint pain.

Body temperature rises rapidly, which cannot be eliminated with the help of medications and any available means. Cephalgia is pronounced, which intensifies with light and sharp sounds. On days 5-7, signs of a respiratory disease appear in the form of a runny nose, cough, and sore throat.

When the cranial nerves are damaged, drooping of the upper eyelid, strabismus, impaired hearing and vision, and paralysis of the facial nerves appear. Rigidity of the posterior cervical muscles develops, making it impossible to press the chin to the chest. A slight relief of general well-being occurs when you tilt the back of your head and draw your legs to your chest (pointing dog pose).

It is extremely rare that serous meningitis provokes the development of a coma in adults. Usually the disease slows down on the 15th day, and with complex treatment the condition improves within a week.

Diagnostics

The clinical picture of serous meningitis helps to suggest the presence of the disease based on the characteristic symptom complex (throwing the head back and reflexive bending of the legs at the joints). But the etiology of the disease and the causative agent are determined exclusively with the help of complex diagnostics:

1. A blood test is not an informative indicator, since ESR and leukocytosis are only slightly higher than normal.
2. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid - the cerebrospinal fluid is almost transparent, sometimes containing admixtures of gray threads. There is a slight increase in protein inclusions and a decrease in glucose levels.
3. Cultures from the throat and nose help determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of the microflora of the mucous membranes, identifying the pathogen.

Lumbar puncture should be performed daily, since serous meningitis is characterized by a constant change in the picture. In the first days of the disease manifestation, leukocytosis develops with a predominance of neutrophils. The next day the number of lymphocytes increases. After another 2-3 days, proteins and a lack of glucose may appear in the cerebrospinal fluid.

The following auxiliary research methods can be used: MRI and CT of the brain, encephalogram, tuberculin tests, electroneuromyography.

Diagnosis of serous meningitis is a fairly lengthy procedure. To minimize the risks of complications, therapy begins as soon as data on the etiology of the disease is obtained. Further research methods may be carried out as treatment progresses.

Treatment

Treatment of serous meningitis depends on what pathogen caused the meningitis. This is determined by bacterial cultures and lumbar puncture analysis.

The viral etiology of the disease is stopped with the help of antiviral therapy, which is based on medications containing interferon. In the presence of pathologically reduced immunity, immunoglobulin injections can be administered. Herpes infection is effectively treated with Acyclovir.

The bacterial etiology of the disease requires antibacterial therapy with broad-spectrum drugs: Ceftriaxone, Cefazolin, Cefix, Ceftazidime. If the tuberculous nature of meningitis is detected, anti-tuberculosis therapy is prescribed in parallel.

Restoring the water-lytic balance is possible with the help of drip injection of biological mixtures. With their help, you can normalize the volume of freely circulating blood, as well as speed up the process of removing waste and toxins.

To prevent the development of hydrocephalus, diuretics are prescribed. With their help, excess fluid is removed from the body, preventing the development of edema. In case of development of kidney pathologies, a procedure for artificial blood purification may be indicated.

Symptomatic treatment involves the use of drugs from the NSAID group, which have antipyretic and moderate analgesic effects. Neuroprotectors and nootropics help restore the peripheral nervous system and also normalize brain activity. Anticonvulsants help reduce muscle hypertonicity and also help eliminate cramps, normalizing sensitivity in the limbs.

Complications

With delayed treatment or an incorrectly selected drug, the following complications may develop:

• disturbance of brain activity;
• speech problems;
• absentmindedness;
• decreased fine motor skills;
• strabismus and decreased quality of vision;
• hearing loss;
• decreased sensitivity in the limbs;
• slow reflexes;
• epileptic seizures.

In particularly advanced cases, which are preceded by the development of infectious-toxic shock, death may occur. According to statistics, the serous form of meningitis is one of the easiest for the body. Mortality occurs in the presence of serious immunodeficiencies and chronic diseases, which accounts for only 1% of all cases of meningitis.

The consequences of serous meningitis for a child’s body are more dangerous. Disruption of brain activity provokes the development of inhibition of information perception, which causes mental retardation. In older childhood, such children may differ in level of development from their peers.

Prevention

There are 5 essential prevention principles that will help reduce the likelihood of infection:

1. Comprehensive strengthening of the immune system - during the off-season, you need to support the body with vitamin complexes, spend more time in the fresh air, giving preference to proper healthy nutrition. Bad habits should be abandoned.
2. Minimizing contact with sick people (especially children) - during periods of high epidemiological danger, it is worth reducing visits to public places to a minimum.
3. Maintain personal hygiene rules - hands should be washed after each visit to the toilet, as well as before eating.
4. Avoid using personal hygiene items from strangers, as they may become infected.
5. Timely treatment of any inflammatory processes in the body, without triggering them into a chronic form.

Serous-purulent meningitis requires long-term treatment and further observation by a specialist, which will help reduce the likelihood of relapse.

Prevention of serous meningitis in young children involves monthly visits to the pediatrician, as well as immediate seeking help if characteristic signs of meningitis are present. Self-medication is extremely life-threatening, as it entails a number of complications.

Forecast

With proper treatment, the symptoms of meningitis begin to subside within 3-5 days, and after 10-12 days, complete recovery occurs. Periodic headaches may persist for up to 1 month, but subsequently disappear. The favorable prognosis is due primarily to the viral etiology of the disease, which allows the body to produce its own antibodies and effectively fight pathogens.

An unfavorable prognosis is observed with the tuberculous form of meningitis, as well as with delayed treatment in the presence of infectious-toxic shock. Children under 1 year of age and the elderly are at risk. Their treatment should be carried out by several specialists at once. It is extremely important to visit a neurologist once a month to monitor the rehabilitation process and further development of the child, since meningitis can cause complications.

Serous meningitis is a rapidly developing inflammatory process that affects the lining of the brain. In 80% of cases, it is caused by viruses and bacteria. Children aged 3-6 years are most susceptible to the disease. In medical practice, there are cases of the disease in schoolchildren and adults, but their number is extremely small.

Symptoms of serous meningitis in children

The first symptoms of serous meningitis appear already on days 1-2 and are called “meningeal syndrome”. These include:

• a rapid jump in body temperature up to 40 degrees;
• constant headache (worsens with eye movement, bright light and loud noises);
• convulsions;
• increased irritability;
• weakness;
• muscle and joint pain;
• problems in the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain);
• cough;
• runny nose;
• sore throat;
• dry mouth;
• pallor of the nasal triangle;
• increased heart rate;
• the appearance of spots on the skin;
• impaired consciousness (slow reaction, stupefaction);
• problems caused by nerve damage (squint, difficulty swallowing);
• respiratory tract paralysis;
• in infants, the fontanel swells;
• I can’t touch my chin to my chest.

Symptoms of serous meningitis can be expressed in varying degrees of intensity. They go away in 3-5 days. If they appear, you should immediately consult a doctor and begin treatment. Otherwise, the consequences of the disease may be serious and irreversible.

Causes of the disease

The causes of serous meningitis are distinguished by the nature of their occurrence:

• primary – an independent inflammatory process;
• secondary - a complication of an existing infectious or bacterial disease.

The main causative agent is infections of the enterovirus group (Coxsackie, ECHO). The disease can also begin to develop as a result of viruses such as infectious mononucleosis, mumps, influenza, measles, herpes, adenovirus, arenavirus, Epstein-Barr virus (we recommend reading:).

In addition, the causative agents of the disease can be bacteria:

• Koch bacillus (tuberculosis);
• syphilis;
• Treponema pallidum.

Determining the cause of serous meningitis is necessary to prescribe antimicrobial therapy. It is worth remembering that timely treatment allows you to quickly cope with the disease and minimizes the risk of any complications.

Who is at risk?

Since serous meningitis is an infectious disease, it primarily affects people with weak immune systems. That is why the disease most often occurs in children aged 3-6 years, because the protective functions of their body are not yet fully formed.

Serous meningitis can also affect adults and school-age children. This is only possible as a result of severe exhaustion of the body, chronic diseases, regular stress, poor nutrition, severe hypothermia, and lack of vitamins and minerals. Meningitis often occurs in people with cancer and immunodeficiencies.

The risk group also includes people living in conditions that do not meet the requirements of sanitary standards. Such premises are an excellent place for the proliferation of various infections.

Routes of infection

Infections that cause serous meningitis enter the body in different ways. Sometimes a child becomes infected from the mother during pregnancy, through blood transfusions and insect and dog bites. Such cases are extremely rare. The most common routes are airborne, waterborne and contact. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Airborne

The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets when it resides and multiplies on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract of a sick person. When you cough, sneeze, kiss or talk, the virus enters the air through saliva, spreads quickly and settles on the nasopharyngeal mucosa of surrounding people.

Water

In recent years, serous meningitis in children has begun to be seasonal. The number of sick people increases significantly in the summer. The fact is that enteroviruses that provoke the disease do not die in water, so during the swimming season there is a high probability of infection through dirty water of various reservoirs and pools.

Contact

Viruses constantly settle on objects surrounding an infected person. When contacting such things, infection occurs in a healthy body. Failure to comply with basic rules of personal hygiene, unwashed vegetables, and poor quality drinking water can cause an infection that provokes the development of serous meningitis.

First signs of the disease and incubation period

The incubation period of the disease is 2-10 days. It depends on the human immune system. The first signs by which meningitis can be recognized include:

• Kernig's symptom - it is impossible to straighten the legs bent at a right angle;
• tripod symptom – unable to sit upright (the body is tilted forward, and the head and arms are backward);
• upper Brudzinski symptom – automatic bending of the legs when the head is tilted forward;
• average Brudzinski symptom - during pressure on the lower abdomen, the legs are involuntarily pulled towards the body;
• lower Brudzinski syndrome - when you try to straighten one leg, the second will bend;
• Bekhterev's symptom - when pressing on the cheekbone, the facial muscles contract;
• Pulatov's syndrome - painful sensations when sharply touching the skull.

Signs of damage to the cranial nerves may also include:

• high temperature;
• deterioration of vision and hearing;
• double vision;
• nystagmus – involuntary eye vibrations;
• ptosis – drooping of the upper eyelid;
• strabismus;
• disturbance of consciousness;
• increased agitation or drowsiness;
• hallucinations.

A dangerous sign is the appearance of a rash. It looks like red or pink spots that disappear when pressed. They first appear on the legs and quickly spread throughout the body. After a few hours, the spots become bluish in color with a darker center.

If such a rash appears, you should immediately call an ambulance, otherwise death is possible. These spots are tissue necrosis as a result of the onset of blood poisoning caused by meningococcus.

The mechanism of development of serous meningitis

The development of serous meningitis includes the following stages:

1. The infection enters the body and the inflammatory process begins. How long it takes depends only on the protective functions of the body. In this case, the virus actively multiplies (incubation period).
2. As a result of this, hemodynamic disturbances occur and, as a consequence, an increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which causes meningeal syndrome.
3. Subsequently, thickening of the membranes of the brain occurs, which can result in serious complications.

Methods of treating meningitis in children

Treatment of serous meningitis is carried out exclusively in a hospital under the supervision of specialists. This is necessary for constant monitoring and prevention of the development of severe complications. The course of therapy includes mandatory drug treatment and the creation of all conditions for a speedy recovery.

A treatment regimen is prescribed only after the root cause of the disease (bacteria or virus) has been determined:

1. To treat meningitis caused by various types of bacteria, antibacterial drugs are used. These include broad-spectrum antibiotics (Ampicillin, Bilmitsin, Amoxicillin, etc.). Their peculiarity is that the bacilli become accustomed to the drugs, so using them for more than a week is not recommended. In this case, you just need to replace the medicine with another one.
2. For viral meningitis, antiviral drugs are prescribed (Acyclovir, Artepol, Interferon).
3. As the disease progresses, a large amount of fluid accumulates in the head, which increases intracranial pressure. Diuretics (Furosemide and Lasix) are prescribed to remove fluid. If there is no result, a lumbar puncture is performed.

To reduce the number and intensity of seizures, sedatives (Seduxen or Domosedan) are prescribed. They are absolutely safe for children and are not addictive.

The following actions will also help a speedy recovery and relief of the child’s general condition:

• creating dim lighting (patients have a significantly increased sensitivity to bright light);
• maintaining a calm psychological atmosphere (stress and nervous tension are contraindicated for the child);
• taking multivitamin preparations (to maintain the body’s protective functions);
• adherence to a diet (it is not recommended to eat hot food, sweet, fatty, sour, salty).

Consequences of the disease

If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, the consequences of viral meningitis are minimal or non-existent. At an advanced stage of the disease, the following may occur as a consequence:

• regular headaches;
• sleep problems;
• memory impairment;
• poor perception of new information;
• convulsions;
• deterioration of hearing and vision (in rare cases, their complete loss is possible);
• developmental delay;
• speech disorder;
• epilepsy;
• disturbances in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system;
• weakening of the muscles of the limbs;
• paralysis.

Such consequences are possible only in the most severe cases. That is why at the first signs of serous meningitis it is necessary to immediately contact a specialist.

Only doctors can confirm the diagnosis and prescribe therapeutic measures. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate in such cases, otherwise death may result.

Prevention

To minimize the possible occurrence of viral meningitis, prevention is necessary, namely:

• swim only in approved and verified places;
• maintain personal hygiene and teach the child to do so;
• wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly;
• drink boiled or purified water;
• use personal towels and cutlery;
• lead a healthy lifestyle;
• eat right;
• to harden;
• during epidemic periods, stay away from large crowds of people;
• follow the vaccination schedule.

Many diseases leave their mark on a person’s life and health. One of these is serous meningitis. True, the consequences worry the former patient only if the treatment of the disease was started at the wrong time or was not carried out in a qualified manner.

Serous meningitis - symptoms and consequences

Signs of this disease can be, especially in the temporal part, periodically rising and falling body temperature, cramps of the limbs or the whole body, fever, sensitivity to light and noise, vomiting, abdominal pain. With an advanced disease, the patient may experience hallucinations and even paralytic syndrome. The consequences of serous meningitis in adults can be quite serious. But usually this happens in cases where the patient does not seek help from a doctor for a long time.

In order for the doctor to correctly prescribe treatment for serous meningitis and to prevent consequences, it is necessary to diagnose the disease in time. First of all, a puncture is taken from the patient and the cerebrospinal fluid is examined. The fundus of the eye is also examined, an X-ray of the skull, electroencephalography and tomography are done, and blood, urine, and stool tests are taken. Based on the symptoms and results of tests and studies, a diagnosis of meningitis is made and its type is determined.

Consequences after serous meningitis

It is better for you not to know what consequences occur after serous meningitis, and, accordingly, never get sick with this unpleasant disease. But even if this trouble happens to you, then you should not panic, you just need to call an ambulance and begin treatment immediately. The sooner help is provided, the greater the chance that the consequences of enteroviral serous meningitis will not appear or they will be minimal.

A patient with meningitis requires mandatory hospitalization; in no case should you be treated at home, because this can lead to death. No traditional medicine! Before the doctor arrives, the patient needs to be kept at rest; a cold wet towel can be placed on the forehead and plenty of fluids can be provided.

The patient is prescribed treatment with antibiotics, diuretics, and infusion therapy. In some cases, individual therapy is prescribed.

If the sick person delays too long and does not seek medical help, if he does not follow the doctor’s orders, then the consequences of serous meningitis can be:

• deafness;
• blindness;
• dysfunction of the speech apparatus;
• disruption of brain function;
• delayed psychomotor development.

Rare deaths, comas and paralysis have also been described. But with modern treatment, these options are practically excluded. In addition, serous meningitis is not as dangerous as, for example, tuberculous meningitis.

Even with favorable treatment, headaches can persist for a long time. If they bother you for more than two months, you need to contact your doctor and, possibly, undergo additional examination or simply get professional recommendations.

The most effective protection against meningitis is vaccination. Children and adults are given the vaccine against the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae several times. In addition, when treating colds and infectious diseases, it is very important to follow the doctor’s recommendations, follow-up treatment, and not suffer from diseases on your legs. You should not squeeze various pimples on your neck. To treat sinusitis, it is imperative to go to a clinic. It is not recommended to swim in unknown sources or drink untested water.

Listen to your body, let it rest, take vitamins and don’t get sick!

Meningitis is an inflammatory lesion of the membranes of the central nervous system. This disease is often diagnosed in children aged 3–7 years, as well as in adolescence, and much less frequently in adults. The disease occurs with various clinical manifestations, which depend on the type of pathology. The classic form of inflammation is purulent, in which the exudate is dominated by dead cellular elements. Such meningitis is caused by infections involving bacterial agents, in particular meningococcus and streptococcus. However, the disease is provoked not only by microbes, but also by viruses. A similar etiology is common in children and leads to the formation of serous inflammation. This exudate is characterized by a high protein content, especially albumin, and a low cell concentration. Unlike the purulent form, the serous form is associated with a milder course and a good prognosis. Signs of serous meningitis vary but are quite specific, making early diagnosis easier.

In medicine, it is customary to identify several etiological factors in the development of the disease. The main reasons for its formation are the following:

1. Viral agents are the most common pathogens that cause symptoms of serous meningitis in children. This extracellular life form is capable of fully existing and reproducing only in the cell of the host organism. This is why diseases of this etiology are so contagious. A child can become infected with serous meningitis by communicating with a sick person, eating poorly peeled vegetables or fruits, and also during the swimming season by swallowing water while swimming. Pathogens that can cause inflammation of the meninges include enteroviruses, herpes, cytomegaloviruses, tick-borne encephalitis virus and a number of other agents. Children are especially susceptible to such infections due to imperfect immune defense mechanisms.
2. The bacterial nature of meningitis is characterized by a purulent course. Only some types of microorganisms cause a serous form of inflammation of the cerebral membranes. These include the pathogens of tuberculosis and syphilis. Children rarely suffer from such illnesses due to limited contact with sick people.
3. Serous meningitis develops not only against the background of viral or bacterial infections. This type of inflammatory reaction is also inherent in lesions of the membranes in cancer of the nervous system, as well as benign neoplasms, among which cysts are common.

Classification by the nature of the pathogen helps clinicians in diagnosing and treating the disease.

Routes of infection and incubation period

Viruses are an extremely mobile form of life. Each pathogen family is characterized by a specific localization. These organisms are tropic, that is, they prefer to live and reproduce in tissues of a certain type. It is with this property that the methods of propagation of pathogens are associated. Infection of a child, as a result of which the baby develops signs of serous meningitis, occurs in one of the following ways:

1. Airborne - transmitted viruses that spread when an infected person sneezes and coughs. At high concentrations in natural fluids, the release of the pathogen into the environment also occurs during breathing. Children become infected through contact with a carrier, as well as when staying in premises where quarantine is established or where sanitization has not been properly carried out.
2. Contact - implies close interaction of the pathogen with the mucous membranes. This occurs when eating unwashed vegetables and fruits, or not maintaining personal hygiene, since viruses can settle on the skin or surrounding objects.
3. Aquatic is partly a type of contact, but also involves an alimentary transmission mechanism. Such infection is possible by ingesting water while swimming in a river or lake.
4. Transmissible - realized in nature with the help of arthropods. Insects and arachnids are carriers of a number of dangerous diseases, including the tick-borne encephalitis virus, which is accompanied by serous meningitis. This method of spreading the infection is not typical for children, since their contact with carriers is usually limited.

The incubation period of viral diseases ranges from 3–4 hours to 14 days. At this time, no symptoms of damage appear. This is due to the fact that the virus needs to accumulate a certain concentration of antigen in the patient’s body, which can cause the development of an inflammatory reaction.

Symptoms of viral serous meningitis

The clinical manifestation of meningitis in children always begins acutely, with a serious rise in temperature up to 40 degrees. The fever is accompanied by severe headache and arthralgia - unpleasant sensations in the joints. Children often cry for a long time, blush, and sweat heavily. Serous meningitis is characterized by specific damage to the muscles of the back of the neck, which makes it difficult for the patient to tilt his head forward. Kids take an unnatural pose. Vomiting and loss of coordination occur. With inflammation of various parts of the membranes of the brain, excessive sensitivity to sound, visual and tactile stimuli is formed. In young patients, serous meningitis is accompanied by symptoms of acute respiratory diseases: cough, rhinitis and sneezing. In severe cases of the disease, the development of convulsive phenomena is possible, which is dangerous due to breathing problems.

The consequences of serous meningitis in children can be catastrophic. In infants, when general intoxication develops, sepsis quickly develops, which is difficult to treat with antibiotics. A common complication of inflammation of the cerebral membranes in children is the occurrence of cerebral edema, which requires placement in the intensive care unit.

The viral etiology of serous meningitis has one positive feature - its rapid course. Recovery with supportive treatment and the absence of concomitant diseases occurs within 10–12 days, and a decrease in temperature occurs within 3–4 days. This does not mean that if symptoms characteristic of inflammation of the membranes of the central nervous system develop, children should be treated independently. Suspicion of a particular pathology is a reason to seek medical help, since any infectious diseases at an early age cause serious multiple organ disorders.

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

A local pediatrician can suspect meningitis in a child, since there are several specific tests to determine the inflammatory processes of the cerebral membranes. Further examination includes checking blood and urine parameters, as well as immunological diagnostics using methods such as polymerase chain reaction and enzyme immunoassay. Lumbar puncture and further testing of the obtained cerebrospinal fluid samples for the presence of a foreign agent are valuable in detecting meningitis.

Treatment of serous meningitis depends on the etiology of the disease. Unfortunately, at the moment, drug control of viral pathogens is severely limited due to the lack of specific therapy against many agents. An exception is, for example, herpes, which is successfully combated with Acyclovir. In most cases, treatment is carried out with the help of interferons - stimulators of the antiviral immune response. Antibiotics are widely used, since the disease occurs with the addition of secondary and secondary microflora, which can negatively affect the health of the child. General supportive therapy is used in the form of parenteral administration of vitamins, as well as infusions, which normalize the rheological properties of the blood and help cleanse the body of toxic waste products of the pathogen. If complications occur, appropriate remedies are used, for example, diuretics and nootropics.

It is important in the treatment of serous meningitis to prevent the disease from becoming purulent. The abundance of leukocytes and necrotic cells creates a kind of film on the surface of the brain and its membranes, which aggravates the course and negatively affects the prognosis of the disease.

With timely diagnosis and adequate care, serous meningitis is easily treatable. Strict adherence to the doctor’s recommendations leads to a quick recovery.

Prevention of the incidence of serous meningitis in children

Preventing inflammatory diseases of the brain and its membranes primarily comes down to maintaining the child’s immunity. Defense mechanisms play an important role in the fight against both viral and bacterial pathogens. Correct and complete feeding is required, providing the growing body with the necessary vitamins and microelements for normal growth and development. Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene is an important condition for the prevention of diseases caused by foreign antigens. Children are only allowed to drink water that has undergone heat treatment. Fruits and vegetables need to be washed thoroughly, or better yet, doused with boiling water. Swimming in bodies of water during meningitis outbreaks is not recommended. Since some viral and bacterial pathogens are characterized by a cycle involving vectors, you should be careful when walking with children in the forest during the active life of ticks and rodents, which are potential carriers of dangerous diseases.