There are five types of meningitis; bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal and non-infectious. The most serious type of meningitis is meningococcal meningitis, which is bacterial. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Meningitis was discovered in 1805 by Viesseux during an epidemic in Geneva, Switzerland, but it was not until 1887 that the causative agent was identified by Anton Weichselbaum. It was given the name Neisseria intracellularis due to the nature of the oval intracellular micrococci in the organism. Males are more likely to get meningitis than females. Young children are particularly at risk because they have less developed immune systems than older age groups. Genetics, travel where meningitis is common, and the presence of insects and rodents can cause the infection. Most meningitis is caused by bacteria and viruses that live in our bodies. These germs usually remain in the intestines, nose or throat. If the bacteria or virus spreads to the tissues (meninges) surrounding the brain, it will cause inflammation. Symptoms of meningitis include: sudden high fever, stiff neck, severe headache that feels different than normal, headache with nausea or vomiting, confusion or difficulty concentrating, seizures, drowsiness or difficulty walking, sensitivity to light, lack of appetite or thirst and skin rashes (sometimes, as in meningococcal meningitis). The differentiated diagnosis of meningitis could be brain abscesses, brain tumors, delirium tremens (DT), and herpes simplex in emergency medicine. Diagnostic tests to confirm meningitis are lumbar puncture (lumbar puncture), blood tests, CT scans, or additional diagnostic tests for meningitis. A lumbar puncture will collect cerebrospinal fluid to help see if you have meningitis. A cerebrospinal fluid analysis can also help your doctor identify which bacteria caused the meningitis. Specific treatment for meningitis would be antibiotics, corticosteroids, and medicines to reduce fever. You may also want to get oxygen therapy if you have trouble breathing. (www.webmd.com) Depending on the cause, meningitis may improve on its own or it may be life-threatening and require urgent antibiotic treatment. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay There is a lot you can do to help meningitis. First, meningococcal vaccines can help prevent the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in adolescents. Your teen can also take steps to strengthen his or her immune system and prevent the spread of the disease. There is a research foundation called the Meningitis Research Foundation. You can visit their website to learn more about what they are doing.