What Is Meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection that results in inflammation of membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include fever, nausea and vomiting, neck stiffness, and severe headache.

Hospitalization is usually required. Common drug classes used to treat meningitis are sulfa antibiotics, cephalosporin antibiotics, penem antibiotics, penicillin antibiotics, nitroimidazole antibiotics, and nucleoside metabolic inhibitors. There are vaccinations available for meningitis.