Meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis are two different types of bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis. Bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis is a life-threatening disease. It is associated with a high risk of death as well as serious complications. These cerebrospinal infections require urgent diagnostics and therapy. They also need interdisciplinary and multidirectional medical care.
The key difference between meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis is their cause. Meningococcal meningitis is caused by Neisseria meningitides bacteria, while pneumococcal meningitis is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Meningococcal Meningitis
3. What is Pneumococcal Meningitis
4. Similarities – Meningococcal and Pneumococcal Meningitis
5. Meningococcal vs Pneumococcal Meningitis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Meningococcal vs Pneumococcal Meningitis
7. FAQ – Meningococcal and Pneumococcal Meningitis
What is Meningococcal Meningitis?
Meningococcal meningitis is a rare and serious bacterial infection that results in inflammation in membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord called meninges. This infection is caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. Meningococcal infections occur more frequently in young children. The most common symptoms of meningococcal meningitis are sudden high fever, severe, persistent headache, neck stiffness, confusion, or other mental changes. Complications involved in meningococcal meningitis are memory problems, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, trouble walking, paralysis, deafness, and epilepsy.
Figure 01: Neisseria meningitidis
Meningococcal meningitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, CT scan, and spinal tap. Furthermore, treatment options for meningococcal meningitis include providing antibiotics such as penicillin or ceftriaxone through an IV, usually for 5-7 days.
What is Pneumococcal Meningitis?
Pneumococcal meningitis is a type of bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis caused by pneumococcal bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae. It is the second biggest cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK and Ireland. This type of bacterial meningitis is more common in adults. The symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis usually come on quickly. These may include fever and chills, mental status changes, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, severe headache, and stiff neck.
Figure 02: Streptococcus pneumoniae
Pneumococcal meningitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood culture, chest X-ray, CT scan of the head, spinal tap and Gram stain or other special stains, and culture of spinal fluid. Furthermore, pneumococcal meningitis is treated by providing antibiotics such as ceftriaxone, vancomycin, or rifampin.
Similarities Between Meningococcal and Pneumococcal Meningitis
- Meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis are two types of bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis.
- Meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis comprised 35% to 45% of bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis.
- Both types affect the brain membrane called the meninges.
- They are rare conditions.
- Both types may have similar symptoms, such as fever, nausea, vomiting, and headache.
- Both types can be diagnosed through physical examination, spinal tap, and imaging tests.
- They are treated by providing specific antibiotics.
Difference Between Meningococcal and Pneumococcal Meningitis
Definition
- Meningococcal meningitis is a type of bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis caused by an infection by Neisseria meningitidis.
- Pneumococcal meningitis is a type of bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis caused by an infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Commonness
- Meningococcal meningitis is common in young children.
- Pneumococcal meningitis is common in adults.
Symptoms
- The symptoms of meningococcal meningitis may include sudden high fever, severe, persistent headache, neck stiffness, confusion or other mental changes, general poor feeding, nausea and vomiting, discomfort in bright light, drowsiness, joint or muscle pain, no appetite, and seizure.
- The symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis may include fever and chills, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, severe headache, stiff neck, agitation, mental status changes, bulging fontanelles in infants, rapid breathing, decreased consciousness, poor feeding in children, unusual posture with the head and neck arched backward.
Complications
- Complications involved in meningococcal meningitis include memory problems, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, trouble walking, paralysis, deafness, and epilepsy.
- Complications involved in pneumococcal meningitis may include brain damage, build-up of fluid between the skull and brain (subdural effusion), build-up of fluid inside the skull that leads to brain swelling (hydrocephalus), and hearing loss.
Diagnosis
- Meningococcal meningitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, CT scan, and spinal tap.
- Pneumococcal meningitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood culture, chest X-ray, CT scan of the head and Gram stain or other special stains, and culture of the spinal fluid.
Treatment
- Meningococcal meningitis can be treated by providing antibiotics such as penicillin or ceftriaxone through an IV, usually for 5-7 days, intravenous fluid, medications to raise blood pressure and breathing support.
- Pneumococcal meningitis is treated by the antibiotics like ceftriaxone, vancomycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, penicillin or rifampin, and sometimes corticosteroids.
The below infographic summarizes the difference between meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis.
Summary – Meningococcal vs Pneumococcal Meningitis
Meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis are two types of bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis. However, meningococcal meningitis is caused by an infection by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, while pneumococcal meningitis is caused by an infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. This is the main difference between meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis.
FAQ: Meningococcal and Pneumococcal Meningitis
1. What are the signs of bacterial meningitis?
- The most common symptoms of bacterial meningitis are painful, stiff neck with limited range of motion, headaches, high fever, feeling confused or sleepy, bruising easily all over the body, a rash on the skin, seizures, and sensitivity to light (photophobia).
2. What is the cause of meningococcal meningitis?
- Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, which is also called meningococcus. These bacteria can infect the meninges and blood. These infections can be serious, even fatal.
3. How is meningococcal meningitis treated?
- Meningococcal meningitis is treated through a third-generation antibiotic called cephalosporin (ceftriaxone or cefotaxime). Penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, fluoroquinolone, and aztreonam are used as alternative therapies.
4. How do people get pneumococcal meningitis?
- Pneumococcal meningitis is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Many people, including approximately half of pre-school children, have pneumococcal bacteria in the back of their nose and throat and constantly pass them around by coughing and sneezing and close contact.
5. What is the survival rate of pneumococcal meningitis?
- Pneumococcal meningitis is more common in adults. However, fatality rates are high among people at extremes of age, such as neonates and older people. The case fatality rates for bacterial meningitis are 4–10% in children and 25% in adults.
Reference:
1. Yadav, Sudeep. “Meningococcal Meningitis.” StatPearls [Internet]., U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. Holm, Gretchen. “Pneumococcal Meningitis: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis.” Healthline, Healthline Media.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Streptococcus pneumoniae – Mucoid Strain – Columbia Horse Blood Agar” By Nathan Reading (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Neisseria meningitidis Colonies growth on New York City Medium Agar” By Xishan01 – In Microbiology lab. (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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