Role of ESR in Meningitis

Meningitis is the swelling of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. ESR is a test used to determine the cause of meningitis.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of meningitis usually occur within two days of infection. Symptoms include severe headache, fever, vomiting, sleepiness and stiffness in the neck.

Causes

• Meningitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. Viral meningitis is most common and fungal meningitis is least common. Pneumococcus, meningococcus, haemophilus and listeria are the bacteria that cause meningitis.

ESR

• ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) measures how fast red blood cells separate from the plasma and settle at the bottom of the test tube. The test is used to determine if inflammation is present. Studies have shown that pneumococcus, meningococcus, haemophilus and listeria have their own ESR. So the ESR helps to determine which bacteria is the cause.

Treatment

• Viral meningitis usually clears up on it's own within 10 days. Antifungals are used for fungal meningitis. Antibiotics treat bacterial meningitis. ESR helps determine which antibiotic to use.

Prevention

• You can minimize the spread of meningitis by frequent hand washing, cleaning contaminated objects like doorknobs and by not sharing drinks with a sick person. The vaccines to prevent meningitis are Hib, meningococcus and pneumococcus.