Pneumococcal meningitis is an infection that causes swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges).

See also:

• Aseptic meningitis
• Meningitis
• Meningitis - cryptococcal
• Meningitis - Gram-negative
• Meningitis - H. influenzae
• Meningitis - meningococcal
• Meningitis - staphylococcal
• Meningitis - tuberculous

Pneumococcal meningitis

Pneumococcal meningitis is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (also called pneumococcus). The bacteria is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in adults, and the second most common cause of meningitis in children older than age 2.

Risk factors include:

• Alcohol use
• Diabetes
• History of meningitis
• Infection of a heart valve
• Injury or trauma to the head
• Meningitis in which there is leakage of spinal fluid
• Recent ear infection
• Recent pneumonia
• Recent upper respiratory infection
• Spleen removal

Images

Pneumococci organism

Pneumococcal pneumonia

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)