Pneumococcal meningitis

Pneumococccal meningitis is a life-threatening infectious disease that causes inflammation of the layers that surround the brain and spinal cord. These layers are called the meninges - they help to protect the brain from injury and infection.

Pneumococcal meningitis is caused by a bacterium called the pneumococcus. There are over 90 strains (or serotypes), but only a small minority commonly cause disease. The pneumococcus can also cause other serious infections such as pneumonia, blood poisoning and septic arthritis, and less serious infections such as otitis media, glue ear and sinusitis. Together these are known as pneumococcal disease or pneumococcal infection.

How pneumococcal meningitis is caused

When the pneumococcus invades, it can overcome the body’s defences and lead to infection. Most of the bacteria are transferred to the meninges via the bloodstream. When the bacteria infect the meninges, the blood vessels in the lining of the brain are damaged. This allows the bacteria to break through and infect the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The meninges then become inflamed and pressure around the brain can cause nerve damage.

Key facts

In 2008, there were around 200 reported cases of pneumococcal meningitis in the UK.
Most cases occur in babies and young children under 18 months of age.
Approximately 15% of cases will result in death.
Most people will make a good recovery, but pneumococcal meningitis requires quick medical treatment.
25% of those who survive pneumococcal meningitis can be left with severe and disabling after-effects.
There are routine vaccines available to help prevent pneumococcal disease in the UK.

Who gets pneumococcal meningitis and why?

Pneumococcal meningitis can affect any age group, but those at most risk are babies and young children under 18 months of age.
The elderly and people with conditions that affect their immune systems are also at increased risk.
Meningitis may occur following head injury and damage to the meninges; on rare occasions this may be recurrent.
The pneumococcal bacteria can be carried harmlessly in the back of the throat by both adults and children.
Virtually all children will become carriers at one time or another. Carriage of bacteria helps us to build natural immunity to infection.
Bacteria are passed from person to person by coughing, sneezing and intimate kissing.
Babies and young children are more at risk because their body’s defences are not fully developed. If the pneumococcus invades their body, the immune system cannot provide resistance to fight off the infection.

How is pneumococcal meningitis treated?

Pneumococcal meningitis requires rapid admission to hospital and urgent treatment with antibiotics. If treated promptly, pneumococcal meningitis is less likely to become life threatening. For more information on this, visit our section on the treatment of meningitis.

What happens when there is a case?

Pneumococcal meningitis is reportable to public health, but is not considered to be contagious. Therefore, close contact with someone who has the illness poses no increased risk of infection. There is little chance of a second related case occurring.

Can pneumococcal meningitis be prevented?

There are vaccines available to help protect against pneumococcal meningitis.

Need more information on pneumococcal meningitis?

You can download our pneumococcal meningitis fact sheet. Or, if you have a question, you can speak to experienced staff on our freephone helpline, available 24-hours a day: 0808 80 10 388, or you can email us at helpline@meningitis-trust.org and we will come back to you as soon as we can.