12 Signs Of Meningitis B You Should Be Aware Of

Your brain and spinal cord (also known as your central nervous system, or CNS) are covered by three layers of membranes called the meninges (via the Cleveland Clinic). They are designed to protect your CNS from injury and provide support for your arteries, veins, nerves, and its surrounding fluid (your cerebrospinal fluid). 

Yet, much like any other part of your body, your meninges can become infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This condition, called meningitis, causes them to become inflamed, and can be fatal if left untreated. There are multiple types of meningitis, categorized based on their root cause: viral, fungal, bacterial, parasitic, amebic, and even non-infectious meningitis.

Per a 2021 review published in Current Opinion in Neurology, bacterial meningitis (meningitis B) occurs when bacteria enters your nose or mouth cavities, reaches your bloodstream, and travels all the way up to your CNS. Once there, it goes through your blood-brain barrier (BBB), a type of brain surveillance system that kills bacteria and viruses in normal conditions. When the bacteria have reached your CNS, your body "triggers a highly inflammatory, and predominately ineffective response." If the inflammation persists for a prolonged time, it may also lead to permanent brain and nerve damage and even death. This article tells you all about the most common bacterial meningitis symptoms to be aware of so that you may act quickly if you suspect you or a loved one may have it.

Having a fever (defined as a body temperature of 38 degrees Celcius or higher, per Health Direct) is not that uncommon. After all, it is your body's way of telling you it is fending off an infection. However, according to a 2004 article published in The New England Journal of Medicine, fever is one of the main symptoms of bacterial meningitis, being present in roughly 77% of the 696 study's cases. In fact, it belongs to the so-called "classic triad," which includes symptoms like confusion and neck stiffness.

Fevers are rarely medical emergencies by themselves, and can often be treated by resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen. However, they can be accompanied by mild symptoms like shivering, body aches, sweating, and dehydration, which can cause discomfort (per Healthline). Nevertheless, you should contact your healthcare provider if your temperature is higher than 39.4 degrees Celcius (or 38–39 degrees Celcius in the case of an infant or child, respectively), it has lasted more than 3 days, or if there are additional symptoms such as confusion, irritability, sensitivity to light, skin rashes, or vomiting, as those can also be an indication of bacterial meningitis.

Stiff neck or neck pain are very common signs of meningitis, including meningitis B. This is due to the nature of the disease, which leads to the inflammation of the meninges.

As Medical News Today explains, the meninges cover your brain and spinal cord, which goes from the back of your head, passing through your neck and reaching all the way down to your lower back. Therefore, when the meninges become inflamed, they limit your neck's usual range of movement, leading to neck stiffness and pain.

Having a stiff neck during a meningitis infection is quite common. Per a 2004 article published in The New England Journal of Medicine, this symptom was present in 83% of the study's 696 cases. Aside from limiting neck movement, which would keep you from turning your head or bending your neck, meningitis neck pain can lead to a throbbing or pounding feeling all over your spine (via Healthline). The site also explains that the way to treat a stiff neck caused by meningitis B is by treating the disease.

If you often find yourself hiding from strong sunlight or indoor lights, blinking often, squinting, or avoiding going out during daytime or sunny days, you may be dealing with photophobia (per Medical News Today). According to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology, the term photophobia comes from the Greek words "photo" and "phobia," which translate to fear and light, respectively. However, the term is medically used to describe an abnormal or heightened sensitivity to light which may induce or intensify pain.

Photophobia, or eyes being more sensitive to light, is a symptom of a neurological or brain condition (via Medical News Today). Therefore, you could say it is an expected sign of meningitis, given the direct effects the disease has on your brain and CNS. Photophobia treatment relies on taking care of the root cause, although wearing special eyeglasses may offer temporary comfort for some people.

The appearance of a purplish rash is a very distinct sign of meningitis. Yet, while it tends to pop up all over the body, in some cases, it may actually never manifest (per Medical News Today).

Meningitis rash (also called petechial rash) indicates that the disease has evolved, causing blood poisoning or infection, a condition called meningococcal septicemia. Unlike other rashes, which you can feel as little bumps in your skin, meningitis rash happens because of blood that leaks out of broken blood vessels. Therefore, this type of rash remains under your skin, meaning that you cannot feel it through touch, as Medical News Today explains. Meningitis rash usually looks like small purple marks on the skin. Yet the spots can also be red, pink, or brown, or may even look like very tiny and scattered bruises.

According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, meningitis rash is classed as a high-risk symptom that needs immediate medical attention. It also explains that if you're unsure whether a rash is caused by meningitis, you could try the tumbler or glass test, in which you just have to press a clear drinking glass against it. If the marks vanish or fade with the pressure, then it most likely isn't caused by meningitis. However, you should seek emergency treatment ASAP if they don't disappear and are still visible through the glass.

Whether it is due to an acute or short-term circumstance or a chronic medical condition, you may lose your appetite due to numerous reasons and, according to Medical News Today, bacterial infections (such as meningitis B) are a common short-term reason that may make you want to skip a meal or two. Also, the presence of other common symptoms of meningitis B, such as nausea and vomiting, can contribute to a reduced desire to eat.

According to a 2015 study published in Plos One, appetite loss is a predominant symptom in infants with bacterial meningitis, which was present in 38% of the cases. In addition, the study determined that poor feeding was "predictive" of a poor disease outcome. The thing is that losing your appetite while being sick is pretty counterproductive, seeing that it leads to a weakened immune system at a time when your body has a higher nutrient demand to fight off the disease (per a 2014 review published in Plos One). In addition, the review explains that loss of appetite in children increases their risk of malnutrition, which, at the same time, increases the risk and severity of bacterial infections. Luckily, appetite usually returns after treating the disease (per Medical News Today).

When babies are born, their skull bones are not completely joined together (per Mount Sinai). Instead, there are little gaps between them, or soft spots, connected only by a thin membrane. These soft spots are called fontanels, and they are designed to allow both the brain and skull to grow during the first year of life. After the first year, the bones fuse and form a solid skull, and the fontanels disappear.

However, since meningitis is characterized by the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain, a bulging or swollen fontanel is a common warning sign of meningitis in babies. In fact, according to a 2019 study published in BMC Pediatrics, a bulging fontanel was present in 50% of the study's 503 patients diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. According to Medical News Today, a bulging fontanel is often accompanied by fever. Furthermore, since it indicates a severe medical condition, it should be treated immediately to avoid serious and permanent long-term consequences.