Meningococcal meningitis or the inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal column is a rare but severe disease that can kill or leave people with life-changing disabilities and health issues. According to experts, even though the disease can be fatal within hours, often the onset of its symptoms – the early signs like fever, headache, and nausea, are easily mistaken for common illnesses.

“One can miss meningitis because the early signs may be milder or are often similar to the symptoms of less serious other illnesses, making the diagnosis difficult to spot at first,” Dr. Manish Chhabria, Consultant, Neurology, Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, told Times Now.

Every year, across the world, millions of cases go undetected, especially in children under 5 years of age, who are at highest risk. As World Meningitis Day approaches, it is crucial to recognize the warning signs before it is too late.

Meningitis happens when you experience inflammation in areas surrounding your brain and spinal cord. Doctors say meninges protect your brain and spinal cord from injury and provide support and structure, containing nerves, blood vessels, and protective fluid. However, infectious diseases like viruses and bacteria, and non-infectious conditions, like cancer or head injuries, can cause meningitis. “It is a serious medical condition & needs to be diagnosed and treated early. It can lead to significant damage to the brain and nerves or may cause septicemia, which is the spread of infection to different body parts via the blood stream,” said Dr. Chhabria.

According to Dr. Chhabria, since the initial symptoms of meningitis can be mild or replicate other conditions, you may easily let them go. “One can miss meningitis because the early signs may be milder or are often similar to the symptoms of less serious other illnesses, making the diagnosis difficult to spot at first,” he said.

However, symptoms of meningitis are different in babies than in children and adults. In bacterial meningitis, fever, headache, and neck stiffness can come on suddenly and your condition can worsen rapidly. And so, persistent signs like these should make you worrisome and contact your doctor:

• High fever
• Feeling constantly unwell
• Recurrent headache
• ⁠Rashes all over the body
• ⁠The stiff neck which doesn’t heal
• ⁠Photophobia
• ⁠Drowsiness and unresponsiveness
• Seizures

“These symptoms may appear in any order or may not appear. Once they are there, they may become worse suddenly,” said Dr. Chhabria. A few non-specific symptoms include dizziness, confusion, delirium, irritability, and nausea/vomiting.

However, a few following risk factors should increase clinical suspicion of meningitis:

• Close contact exposures (military barracks, college dorms)
• ⁠Incomplete vaccinations
• ⁠Immunosuppression
• ⁠Children younger than five years of age and adults older than 65 years
• Alcohol use
• ⁠Having unsafe sex
• Animal contact
• Previous neurosurgical interventions
• Recent travel history
• Season, as most viral cases tend to occur in warmer months.

According to experts, not all of these symptoms will develop and can appear in any order and be mixed between the two illnesses. Meningococcal disease can be hard to identify at first because it can be like a bad case of flu. However, anyone affected with meningococcal disease will usually become seriously ill within a few hours.

Experts say you can press the side of a clear drinking glass firmly against the rash so you can see if the rash fades and loses colour under pressure. If it does not change colour, contact your doctor immediately. On darker skin, check inside the eyelids or roof of the mouth where the spots may be more visible.

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