why do mostly children young adults get bacterial meningitis?

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I know that a lot of people within families share utensils and plenty of cultures kiss. It just seems that I only see young people get the disease.
I see mostly from elementary school age kids through college age.
It's a little bit more complex than this. Certain bacteria have a certain affinity for an age group, and depending on what age you are, you have a risk of meningitis from a certain bacteria.

In younger people it tends to be neisseria meningitidis (the one that affects a lot of kids/teenagers/college kids), and in older people it tends to be streptococcus pneumoniae (elderly). The reason this occurs is still not quite known, but it may have to do with immunity and other body mechanisms to keep out bacteria.

THat being said, I have seen MANY cases of meningitis in middle aged/older people, and although the publicity is more directed towards the younger people (because it is lethal or can cause severe brain damage), it can affect people at any age.

That being said, it is still quite a rare disease, and your odds of contracting it randomly are quite low.  (+ info)

What is the treatment if one is exposed to bacterial meningitis?

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antibiotics  (+ info)

What causes viral and bacterial meningitis?

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My mother had it when she was pregnant with me. I've always wondered what causes it. Does anybody know? If you don't know, please don't answer. I don't want info from websites, I want to hear from real people. Thank you! =)
She had bacterial meningitis
Meningitis can be viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic.

What causes viral? Most are caused by enteroviruses.

What causes bacterial? Usually Neisseria meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae.

Perhaps what you really meant to ask was how does someone get meningitis? With the viral form, when meningitis is diagnosed, there is often another viral infection going on, such as mumps or herpes. Enteroviruses are more common during the summer and fall.

With the bacterial form, the bacteria that causes it can live in the mouth without causing problems but if for any reason the body immune system breaks down, these opportunistic bacteria move in and multiply. Bacterial meningitis is nearly always caused by an infection that originates somewhere else in the body.  (+ info)

How do doctor treat bacterial meningitis?

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I been trying to find this answer all over the place. I was really trying to do it on my own but i had to go turn to answer lol
  (+ info)

Is anyone out there a survivor of bacterial meningitis?

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If so, how are you now?
My boyfriends sister had it and she has been just fine now for the last 2 years  (+ info)

Can a pregnant nurse work with a baby with bacterial meningitis?

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Please cite proof. I really appreciate it
I would say no unless you use a mask  (+ info)

How can you help bacterial meningitis?

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I have it.
Can It Be Prevented?
Washing your hands really well and often is one way to defend against meningitis and other infections.

Although bacterial meningitis can seem scary, the chance of getting it is quite low. It's most likely to happen in places where lots of people get together - like schools and college dorms. This is why doctors now recommend that teens who are about to go to high school or head off for college get vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis. Many colleges actually require their students to get meningitis vaccines. Depending on the type of vaccine a person gets, it can last between 3 and 10 years. It's also sometimes recommended for people traveling to countries where meningitis is more common.

There are also vaccines for some other types of meningitis. If you have a medical condition that affects your immune system, for example, a doctor may also recommend a vaccination against the S. pneumoniae type of bacteria. But vaccines don't exist for all types of bacterial meningitis.

When to Call the Doctor
If you have meningitis symptoms, call your doctor right away. Early detection and treatment of meningitis is very important to avoid serious health problems.

If you've been in close contact with someone who has bacterial meningitis, see your doctor, even if you have no symptoms. The doctor might prescribe antibiotics to help prevent you from getting the infection. A fast diagnosis can also keep the infection from spreading to others.

What Do Doctors Do?
To diagnose meningitis, a doctor may do a spinal tap, in which a small amount of the cerebrospinal fluid is removed and tested in a lab. If the meningitis is bacterial, this can help the doctor decide which type of antibiotic to prescribe. To find out more about the infection, sometimes the doctor will also do a brain scan (called a CT scan).

Bacterial meningitis is treated in the hospital with intravenous antibiotics (for example, through an IV - a drip that delivers the correct dose of a medication directly into a person's vein). Antibiotic treatment for bacterial meningitis may last for a couple of weeks, although a person may not need to spend the full time in a hospital. Lyme meningitis is usually also treated with IV antibiotics, although this can be done at home.

Doctors may also prescribe corticosteroids to protect a person from hearing damage as a result of bacterial meningitis. If there are problems caused by the infection, the doctor will need to treat those problems, too. Sometimes people can have permanent brain damage from the disease - especially if it is not diagnosed and treated quickly - so if you have symptoms, it's important to get checked out and treated right away.

If the meningitis is viral, it usually goes away on its own (antibiotics are not effective in treating this type of meningitis because it's not caused by bacteria). The doctor will recommend as much rest as possible to help the recovery. He or she may also recommend medication to help relieve any headaches or body aches.  (+ info)

What effects does Bacterial Meningitis have on the nervous system and related bodily functions?

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This is again for my science task. I couldn't find much info on this. I need at least 3 effects. Please leave a source - I need it for my bibliography. Thanks in advance.

_Sushi
Maybe you can try posting this question in the Meningitis Angels Yahoo group. I'm sure the maintainter, Frankie, will be able to answer that question.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MeningitisAngels/

I wish I could answer your question, but even I wouldn't know this. I just know that meningitis can really affect the nerves and the brain, and can cause behavioral problems, depression and such (I myself had bacterial meningitis when I was 2 and have had problems with my anger and behavior for a long time).  (+ info)

Are there any long-term effects of bacterial meningitis?

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My girlfriend suffered from bacterial meningitis 5 years ago but 'fully' recovered. Just wondering if there are any known long term effects? Her temperature is a fraction below normal always and she suffers from feeling really cold even in mild conditions... started around the same time. thanks guys!
There is one fairly long term effect and that's death! Obviously she is not affected. I would say that the symptoms you are describing is all about who she is and liver function. Females have around 2/3rds the liver mass of a male and tend to feel the cold more. I would say after 5 years she is fully recovered from meningitis. Jules.Australia.  (+ info)

How successful is the treatment for bacterial meningitis?

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Just need to know for a school project
If started soon enough after the appearance of symptoms, it's highly effective.

If not, then the patient often dies. Or, has significant complications such as limbs amputated.  (+ info)

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