Chances of Dying from Meningitis

… Continued …

How fast you get prompt treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment is very crucial for the outcome of the disease. The longer you have bacterial meningitis without treatment, the higher the risk of dying from the disease. So again, the treatment should be started as soon as possible.

Antibiotic is the main treatment to drive away the bacterial infection. There are a number of antibiotics for bacterial meningitis. Which one to use is usually dependent on the type of bacteria that causes the problem!

Whether or not the disease has caused its complications

Although not all complications of meningitis are severe, some could turn into serious or even life-threatening. See more about these complications in this article!

For example, brain damage caused by bacterial meningitis can also be serious and permanent. Even sometimes a mild problem affecting the brain could turn into serious, because your brain is vital to maintain many body functions.

Is there any another serious illness?

Sometimes bacterial meningitis develops with another serious illness, making the disease more difficult to treat. For instance, it may occur with sepsis and septicaemia.

People with meningococcal meningitis can have septicaemia. The bacteria may spread to the bloodstream and cause blood poisoning. This could be fatal if not immediately treated.

Some types of bacteria that cause meningitis can also be associated with sepsis, another serious illness. Sepsis is overwhelming inflammatory response to infection. It can lead to tissue damage throughout the body, organ failure, or even death.

Age

The disease in youngest and oldest patients is typically more severe and more likely to cause serious complications which some may lead to death.

For example, people aged 65 or over are more likely to die from the disease compared to adults aged younger than 65 years, according to CDC. In the UK, bacterial meningitis is one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of 5.

What else?

Other factors such as your overall health and immune system may also have an effect. If you have weak immune system, the infection is much easier to develop and cause more serious damage.