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Meningitis

A stethoscope and a yellow sticky note with a checklist and text 'Meningitis Vaccine: Do you need it?' on a wooden table
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Meningitis is a disease defined by inflammation of the meninges, the layers of membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. In addition to mortality, meningitis can result in long-term sequelae such as cognitive impairment, hearing loss, motor weakness or paralysis, incoordination, and epilepsy.1

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In 2019, there were an estimated 236,000 deaths and 2.51 million incident cases due to meningitis globally.1

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The burden was greatest in children younger than 5 years, with 112,000 deaths (87,400–145,000) and 1.28 million incident cases in 2019.1

Reference:

  1. Wunrow, Han Yong et al. Global, regional, and national burden of meningitis and its aetiologies, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Lancet Neurology; 22 (8): 685 – 711.
Definition

What is Meningitis?1

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Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.1

Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.1

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A bacterial or viral infection usually causes the swelling.1

A bacterial or viral infection usually causes the swelling.1

  • A bacterial or viral infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord usually causes the swelling1.
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Injuries, cancer, certain drugs, and other types of infections also can cause meningitis.1

Injuries, cancer, certain drugs, and other types of infections also can cause meningitis.1

Symptoms
What are the symptoms of Meningitis?2
Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly
Click on the dots to see the symptoms
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Transmission

How it spreads?2

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Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through:
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Sneezing
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Coughing
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Kissing
Meningitis is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but are not ill themselves.2
Treatment
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People with suspected meningitis will usually have tests in hospital to confirm the diagnosis and check whether the condition is the result of a viral or bacterial infection.2

Bacterial meningitis usually needs to be treated in hospital for at least a week.2.

Treatments includes:

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Prevention

Vaccinations offer some protection against certain causes of meningitis.

1

Pneumococcal

Offered to babies at 6 weeks of age and Adults.³

2

Pentavalent vaccine

Offered to babies at 8 weeks of age.⁴

3

6 in 1

Offered to babies aged 8 weeks of age.²

4

Men B

Offered to babies aged 8 weeks.² Also recommended for adults.⁵

5

MenACWY vaccines

Offered to infants aged ≥ 2 months & Adults.⁶

6

MMR vaccines

Offered to babies at 1 year of age.²

7

MenAC Vaccine

Offered to babies at 9 months of age and above.⁷ Used in Egypt as part of vaccination programs for schoolchildren and other government sectors.⁸

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ASK YOUR DOCTOR FOR
MENINGITIS Vaccination

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR Children BY GETTING VACCINATED.

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References:

  1. About meningitis. CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/index.html. Last accessed: 3.3.2025.
  2. Meningitis Overview. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/. Last reviewed: 25.10.2022. Last accessed: 3.3.2025.
  3. CDC. Administering Pneumococcal Vaccines. Last Reviewed: September, 2023. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/hcp/administering-vaccine.html. Last accessed: 17.7.2025.
  4. Children-vaccinations-from-day1-to-18-months. Ministry of Health & Population - Egypt. Available at: shorturl.at/41F9s. Last accessed: 2.7.2025.
  5. CDC. Recommended Vaccines for Adults. JULY, 2025. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/vaccines/adults.html. Last accessed: 17.7.2025.
  6. Meningococcal Vaccine Recommendations. Meningococcal. CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/hcp/vaccine-recommendations/index.html. Last accessed: 2.7.2025.
  7. World Health Organization. Meningococcal vaccines: WHO position paper on the use of multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines in countries of the African meningitis belt. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2024; 99 (1/2): 1–10. Available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/375623/WER9901-02-eng-fre.pdf?sequence=1. Last accessed: 2.7.2025.
  8. Afifi S. et al. Laboratory-based surveillance of patients with bacterial meningitis in Egypt (1998-2004). Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2007 May; 26 (5): 331-340.
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