Meningococcal Meningitis

If you have a headache with a rash, it could be a very serious infection called meningococcal meningitis. Most people recover from this disease, but without proper treatment, it can lead to permanent disability and even death in just a few hours.

Different types of meningitis are caused by different infectious agents (i.e., virus or bacteria). Meningococcal meningitis is a rare type of bacterial meningitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported only 350 cases in the United States in all of 2017, which is about one case in every million people.

Meningitis Basics

In meningitis, an infection leads to inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is most commonly caused by a bacteria or virus, and rarely by a fungus.

Meningitis is spread through respiratory germs and secretions from your mouth, such as those that can be passed by kissing. Overall, the infectious agents that cause meningitis are not as easily spread as those that cause the common cold or the flu.

Symptoms of meningitis include:

• Headache
• Fever
• Neck stiffness

In bacterial forms, those symptoms come on fast. Other meningitis symptoms include:

• Rash
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia) and/or sound (phonophobia)
• Fatigue or trouble waking
• Nausea and vomiting
• Low appetite
• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Confusion

The disease is diagnosed by a lumbar puncture. Treatment typically entails antiviral and/or antibiotic medication, depending on the specific infectious agent.

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What Is Meningococcal Meningitis?

Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. It produces a characteristic rash consisting of tiny red dots called petechiae. These tiny red dots represent bleeding into the skin.

The petechiae can coalesce to form larger skin lesions called purpura. Neither the smaller dots nor the purpura spots will blanch (disappear when you press on the skin).

Many other medical conditions that cause petechiae of the skin, including vasculitis, leukemia, and lupus. However, if you have petechiae and other symptoms that could indicate meningitis, your doctor will immediately send you for a lumbar puncture to diagnose it.

How Common Is Rash in Meningitis?

Overall, a rash is not unusual in those with other forms of meningitis. It's more common in meningococcal disease, though, with about 50% of infected people developing petechiae.

You can have petechiae and not have meningitis, or still have a non-meningococcal form of meningitis. Alternately, you can have meningococcal meningitis and not have a petechial rash. This is not a cut-and-dried diagnosis.

Treatment and Prevention

The treatment for meningococcal meningitis is antibiotics. Starting treatment quickly reduces the risk of death. Because of the seriousness of the disease, doctors recommend treating the people you're in close contact with as well, to help keep them from developing it.

There is a vaccine for meningococcal meningitis, but it isn't 100% effective. While it lowers your risk of infection, you can still develop meningococcal meningitis after being vaccinated.

A Word From Verywell

Developing a headache and rash, or any symptoms that could indicate meningococcal meningitis can be frightening. Try to keep in mind that this is a rare disease, so while getting diagnosed is an urgent matter, odds are good that you don't have this disease. Even if you do, it's highly treatable, and, with swift diagnosis and treatment, your odds of a full recovery are high.