Meningitis is no joke.
There are all sorts of things that can cause this nasty inflammation (swelling) of the membranes covering the brain, such as a bacterial or vial infection, injury, cancer, certain drugs, among other types of infection.
We have the Meningitis B Vaccine to protect against meningococcal group B bacteria-causing meningitis–a very nasty and potentially deadly form of meningitis. (Bacterial meningitis requires immediate medical attention.)
We also have several vaccines that can help protect from viral meningitis–an often less severe form of meningitis, however still very serious.
This is the story of when my mother contracted viral meningitis…