Table of contents:
- Is meningitis contagious?
- There are various ways of transmitting meningitis
- 1. Inhaling contaminated saliva splashes
- 2. Direct contact with saliva when kissing
- 3. The process of giving birth
- 4. Contact with contaminated feces, animals, and food
- Can meningitis be prevented?
Meningitis occurs due to inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spinal nervous system. This disease can be fatal to life threatening because the symptoms can appear suddenly. In addition, meningitis is also often experienced by children and toddlers which can cause complications if not treated promptly. Knowing how meningitis is transmitted can help you to prevent the dangers of this disease and its complications.
Is meningitis contagious?
Inflammation of the lining of the brain is caused by infection with organisms (viruses, bacteria, or fungi) or non-infectious factors, such as drug consumption, autoimmune disease or head injury. Of the cases found, infection with various viruses and bacteria is the main cause of meningitis. Fungal and parasitic infections are rare.
Symptoms of viral meningitis are mild and occur more frequently than bacteria. However, bacterial meningitis is the most dangerous type and its development can cause damage to the brain.
Can meningitis be transmitted? Some viruses and bacteria that cause meningitis can be transmitted between humans. Depending on the adaptability of the organism, several types of viruses and bacteria can be transmitted quickly, especially in isolated environments and in endemic areas (meningitis outbreaks).
Even so, some bacteria that cause meningitis are not contagious. These are usually meningitis-causing bacteria that live on the surface of the skin or certain body parts, such as the Hib bacteria. The conditions tend to be harmless.
There are various ways of transmitting meningitis
The viruses or bacteria that cause meningitis are mostly passed through contaminated saliva or from the genital tract to some types of bacteria.
Meanwhile, fungal and parasitic meningitis are usually more susceptible to being transmitted through direct exposure to fungi, consumption of contaminated food, or contact with parasite-carrying animals.
According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, each type of organism that causes meningitis can be transmitted in different ways. The following are the ways of transmitting meningitis:
1. Inhaling contaminated saliva splashes
Transmission through saliva splashes generally occurs in the most common type of meningitis, namely bacterial meningococci. Neisseria meningitidis.This type of bacteria lives in the back of the nose and throat.
When a person with meningitis sneezes, he can expel it droplet from saliva or mucus in the respiratory tract contaminated with these meningitis bacteria. When you get splashed droplet and inhaling it, these organisms can enter and infect the body.
2. Direct contact with saliva when kissing
Kissing can be a mode of transmission of meningitis because it causes direct contact with infected saliva. In addition, viruses or bacteria that cause meningitis can enter easily through the oral route to further attack cells in the respiration and host them, before reaching the lining of the brain.
3. The process of giving birth
Newborns are more likely to become infected with meningitis through bacteria in their mother's body than from exposure to other meningitis-causing bacteria.
Group B Streptococcal Bacteria (GBS), eg Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae which naturally resides in the vagina and intestine can pass from mother to baby through childbirth.
However, the baby's immunity can still ward off infection. As long as the mother's immune system response is strong, it prevents infections that cause meningitis and the mother keeps the baby's health well both in the womb and after birth.
4. Contact with contaminated feces, animals, and food
Viruses that cause meningitis, such as Enterovirus or Coxsackieviruses that live in the nose, throat and intestines can be spread through feces. Likewise by touching a contaminated surface droplet contains the virus.
Meningitis caused by parasites is a rare disease, but the mode of transmission can occur through contact with infected animals or eating undercooked foods, such as fish, snails, or poultry.
For meningitis caused by a fungus, you can catch it when you inhale the contaminated spores. Various fungi that cause meningitis can be found on soil surface, weathered plants, or bird droppings.
Can meningitis be prevented?
Given that there are various organisms that can cause infection in the lining of the brain, preventing transmission of meningitis is certainly not easy.
The most effective preventive measure is through the meningitis vaccine. This is because vaccination can provide long-term protection and prevent the spread of person-to-person transmission of meningitis.
Even so, it specializes in prevention only for certain bacterial infections. Several vaccines are available to form antibodies against infection from the bacterial meningitis strain, such as the PCV vaccine for bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniaeor the MCV4 vaccine for meningococcal meningitis.
Prevention of viral, fungal and parasitic meningitis still has to rely on clean and healthy living habits (PHBS) and avoid exposure. Use of eating utensils together with other people should also be avoided.
It is important to remember that smokers are more susceptible to infection due to meningococcal bacteria that live in the throat. Therefore, reduce the smoking habit if you want to avoid meningitis.
Meningitis infection can be caused by various organisms. The most important thing you need to do is protect yourself and those closest to you by avoiding various modes of transmission.
