Yeast Infections—Meningitis

Also called: Spinal meningitis

Meningitis is inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. There are several types of meningitis. The most common is viral meningitis. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain. Bacterial meningitis is rare, but can be deadly. It usually starts with bacteria that cause a cold-like infection. It can cause stroke, hearing loss, and brain damage. It can also harm other organs. Pneumococcal infections and meningococcal infections are the most common causes of bacterial meningitis.

Anyone can get meningitis, but it is more common in people with weak immune systems. Meningitis can get serious very quickly. You should get medical care right away if you have

• A sudden high fever
• A severe headache
• A stiff neck
• Nausea or vomiting

Early treatment can help prevent serious problems, including death. Tests to diagnose meningitis include blood tests, imaging tests, and a spinal tap to test cerebrospinal fluid. Antibiotics can treat bacterial meningitis. Antiviral medicines may help some types of viral meningitis. Other medicines can help treat symptoms.

There are vaccines to prevent some of the bacterial infections that cause meningitis.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

• Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Cerebrospinal fluid culture (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Meningitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Meningitis – cryptococcal (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Meningitis – gram-negative (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Meningitis – H. influenzae (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Meningococcal ACWY Vaccines – MenACWY and MPSV4: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13): What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Immunization Action Coalition) – PDF
• Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF

Also called: Candidiasis, Moniliasis

Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. Usually, your immune system keeps yeast under control. If you are sick or taking antibiotics, it can multiply and cause an infection.

Yeast infections affect different parts of the body in different ways:

• Thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in your mouth
• Candida esophagitis is thrush that spreads to your esophagus, the tube that takes food from your mouth to your stomach. It can make it hard or painful to swallow.
• Women can get vaginal yeast infections, causing vaginitis
• Yeast infections of the skin cause itching and rashes
• Yeast infections in your bloodstream can be life-threatening

Antifungal medicines get rid of yeast infections in most people. If you have a weak immune system, treatment might be more difficult.

• Candida infection of the skin (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Thrush (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Vaginal yeast infection (Medical Encyclopedia)