What Is Viral Meningitis?
Article Sources
- 1. “Viral Meningitis, the Facts.” Meningitis Now, July 2020, Viral_meningitis_fact_sheet_july 2020.pdf, meningitisnow.org
- 2. “Viral Meningitis.” Logan, S. A., & MacMahon, E. (2008). BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 336(7634), 36–40. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39409.673657.AE
- 3. “Viral Meningitis.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html
7. How Is Viral Meningitis Diagnosed?
Because early symptoms can easily be confused with bacterial meningitis, a diagnosis is very important. Bacterial meningitis is a very serious infection that can cause hearing loss, brain damage, and death. With viral meningitis, an associated infection of encephalitis is possible and can increase the danger of complications.
A blood test, nose or throat swab, or stool sample may be used for diagnosis by a medical professional. Another method is to draw fluid from around the spinal cord.3“Viral Meningitis.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html For a definitive diagnosis of viral meningitis, as well as the ability to identify the cause of the disease, some professionals prefer to use the sample of cerebrospinal fluid from the draw.2“Viral Meningitis.” Logan, S. A., & MacMahon, E. (2008). BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 336(7634), 36–40. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39409.673657.AE
Advertisement
