Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the tissue overlying the brain and the spinal cord. The most common causes of meningitis in adolescents are bacteria and viruses. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, viral meningitis is a serious but rarely fatal disease. It tends to occur more often during the summer and fall months. Enteroviruses are the most common causative agents of viral meningitis. The symptoms of meningitis in teenagers are similar to those experienced by adults with the disease.
Fever
Fever is a general symptom of meningitis in teenagers. According to MedlinePlus, microbes, including viruses, act like proteins called pyrogens, which affect the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates the body's temperature. The hypothalamus increases the temperature in an attempt to kill the microbes, which need regular body temperatures to function. Teenagers with viral meningitis can have a bi-phasic fever: they will have a low grade fever and a flu-like illness at the beginning of the illness, then a sudden temperature elevation with the onset of the more specific symptoms of meningitis.
Headache and Neck Stiffness
Headache is a prominent sign of meningitis. Teenagers can have a generalized headache or have pain in a specific part of the head, usually the back or right behind the eyes. It is usually severe and requires strong pain control medicines in order to control it. The headache can be accompanied by photophobia or sensitivity to bright light. According to MedlinePlus, neck stiffness, or nuchal rigidity, is another prominent sign of meningitis in adolescents and adults with the disease and signifies irritation of the meninges.
Changes in Mental Status
Teenagers with viral meningitis often lack energy, feel tired or fatigued and are uninterested in their regular activities. Lethargy and listlessness are signs of serious disease and may indicate a worsening in the teen's condition. Other worrisome changes include loss of consciousness and seizures, which may indicate severe brain swelling. In severe cases, hard to control seizures can lead to permanent brain damage or a state of coma.
Nonspecific symptoms
Other nonspecific symptoms of meningitis in adolescents may help determine if the meningitis is viral in nature. For example, pharyngitis, or inflammation of the throat; rashes; lymphadenopathy, or swelling of the lymph nodes; and splenomegaly, or swelling of the spleen, are all signs of viral infection. Other nonspecific symptoms include muscle aches, drowsiness, abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting, and general discomfort or malaise.
