Causes of Bacterial Meningitis
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges that cover brain. The meninges is made up of three membranes:
- The dura mater, which is the dense outer layer
- The arachnoid mater, which is in the thin middle layer
- The piamater, which is a very thin membrane that lies directly on the brain and spinal cord.
There is a space between the arachnoid Mayer and pia mater, called the subarachnoid space. There are various way bacteria can access a person’s meninges, including:
- A result of eat or sinus infections
- Via the blood stream
- Via surgical neurological procedures
- A defect in the dura mater
Bacterial meningitis can be traced to contact with a range of bacteria, including:
- Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) type B (Hib)
- N. meningitidis
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) [3]
- Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) [4]
- Group B Streptococcus [5]
- Escherichia coli (E. coli) [6]
Pneumococcal meningitis is the most common form of bacterial meningitis. It is caused by the bacterium S. Pneumoniae.