Can Viral Meningitis Turn Into Bacterial?

… Continued …

Genetics

Though meningitis can affect anyone, some people may have tendency (genetic factor) to get infected and develop the disease. And when they come in contact with viruses or bacteria that can lead to infection /inflammation of meninges, they’re relatively easier to eventually get meningitis.

Environmental factor

For example, it’s possible for some people who’re recovering from viral meningitis to also develop bacterial meningitis if they stay in the crowded /poor living conditions – such as in college dormitories, day care centers, and camps.

Certain medical factors /conditions

These include:

1. If you’re on kidney dialysis, special treatment to help provide healthy-balanced blood supply if you have kidney failure.
2. If you have brain surgery, a head injury, or any birth defect of the skull that can make your meninges become more vulnerable to get infected and inflamed.
3. Having a disorder of spleen, an important part of your body immune system. Not having a working spleen is bad for your immune system performance – as well as you risk of having meningitis.
4. Certain vaccines and childhood immunizations are available for meningitis, though they don’t work for all types of meningitis. Not getting these shots put you at high risk of the disease. For example, your risk of pneumococcal infections is high if you did not get a shot for streptococcus pneumoniae. For in-depth information, ask a doctor!
5. Having another infection elsewhere in the body. For example, it’s possible to also have bacterial meningitis when you’re recovering from viral meningitis if you have tuberculosis (a serious bacterial infectious disease that affects the lungs).

What else?

Though the way of how people get both viral and bacterial meningitis at the same time may be still debatable, in general this is more likely to occur if you have more risk factors of the disease.

Other risk factors of meningitis include being male (the disease is more common in men, though it can also affect women), traveling to district /area where meningitis is common, age (the disease often affects young children under age 5 and young adults younger than age 20), and a personal history of the disease in the past.