About Meningitis
Every year in the United States, thousands of people die of meningococcal meningitis and many more experience serious complications from this disease. Other people may develop pneumococcal meningitis. In both cases, most of those affected are children under the age of 5. Meningitis is an infection and inflammation of the membranes (meninges) and fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) surrounding your brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is most often caused by bacteria or viruses. Bacterial meningitis is usually much more serious than viral meningitis.
