Certain medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, medications, and surgical procedures put people at increased risk for meningitis.For example, college campuses have reported outbreaks of meningococcal disease, caused by N. Group setting: Infectious diseases tend to spread where large groups of people gather.See section above for which bacteria more commonly affect which age groups. However, people of any age can develop bacterial meningitis. Age: Babies are at increased risk for bacterial meningitis compared to people in other age groups.monocytogenesĬertain factors increase a person’s risk for getting bacterial meningitis.

Some causes of bacterial meningitis are more likely to affect certain age groups: Without timely treatment, sepsis can quickly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sepsis happens when an infection triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to infection. Many of these bacteria can also be associated with another serious illness, sepsis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes tuberculosis or TB, is a less common cause of bacterial meningitis (called TB meningitis).

Leading causes in the United States include

Several types of bacteria can cause meningitis. Those who do recover can have permanent disabilities, such as brain damage, hearing loss, and learning disabilities. However, most people recover from bacterial meningitis. Some people with the infection die and death can occur in as little as a few hours.

Cerebro spinal fluid leak