Viral Meningitis Basics

Less serious than bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis is associated with a number of infections, including chickenpox, Lyme disease, and even rabies.

By Jean Rothman

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Meningitis occurs when the lining protecting the brain and spinal cord — called the meninges — becomes inflamed. There are two main kinds of meningitis, bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis is a potentially fatal condition that can have severe after-effects, including brain damage, deafness, limb amputation, and stroke. Viral meningitis, also called aseptic meningitis, is milder and more common than bacterial meningitis, rarely has any long-term after-effects, and is seldom fatal.

Statistics vary, but it is thought that viral meningitis causes between 25,000 and 50,000 hospital visits each year in the United States.

Children are more likely than adults to get viral meningitis. Children under the age of 5 are most vulnerable.

Causes of Viral Meningitis

Nearly 90 percent of viral meningitis cases are caused by viruses in the enterovirus family, which is a group of common viruses. The viruses usually enter the body through the mouth and then travel to the brain and tissues around it. Coxsackie viruses and echoviruses are among the primary offenders. 

Other viruses that can cause viral meningitis are:

• Chickenpox virus (varicella virus)
• Mumps virus
• West Nile virus
• Viruses transmitted by bites from infected mosquitoes
• Rabies virus
• Type 1 and type 2 herpes viruses
• HIV

Meningitis can also be caused by a direct infection of the meninges.

Symptoms of Viral Meningitis

Viral meningitis has symptoms that are similar to the flu:

• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Eyes sensitive to light
• Chills
• Fever
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Rash
• Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting

Symptoms may last anywhere from a week to 10 days.

Treating Viral Meningitis

As with other viruses such as the common cold, the symptoms of viral meningitis can be managed by resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking medication to relieve symptoms. These measures will help you feel more comfortable, but they don’t actually cure the infection. 

If the meningitis is caused by a very contagious virus such as chickenpox, your doctor will prescribe antiviral medication.

Most patients recover completely from viral meningitis although, in some cases, the patient may experience continuing headaches, fatigue, and depression. 

Is Viral Meningitis Contagious?

Yes. The most common causes of viral meningitis, enteroviruses, are spread when there is direct contact with an infected patient’s saliva, mucus, or sputum. This can happen when you touch a person or object that is infected and then touch your own nose or mouth. Viral meningitis is also spread by coughing and sneezing. 

The stool of someone who is infected can also carry the virus. In this case, the virus is spread primarily among young children who haven’t been toilet trained. Adults who change diapers of an infected baby may also catch the virus. 

Remember that catching an enterovirus doesn’t mean it will develop into viral meningitis. In fact, fewer than 1 in 1,000 people who get sick from one of the viruses associated with viral meningitis go on to develop it. 

How to Prevent Viral Meningitis

There are several ways to reduce your chances of getting a virus that can turn into meningitis:

• Get vaccinated. Be sure that you and your children have been vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella (the MMR vaccine), and chickenpox — all viruses that can cause meningitis.
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• Avoid mosquitoes. Because mosquito-borne viruses can cause meningitis, using insect repellant and avoiding the outdoors during periods when mosquitoes are most active (dusk to dawn) is important.
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• Wash your hands. Another crucial way to avoid being infected is to be mindful of personal hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after you sneeze, cough, shake hands, use the toilet, and change diapers. Also be sure to wash your hands before you cook or eat.
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• Disinfect. If you are around someone who has viral meningitis, clean and disinfect surfaces and objects, first with soap and water, and then with bleach that contains chlorine. (Mix about a quarter of a cup of bleach to a gallon of water.)

Remember, your best chance of avoiding viral meningitis is to be vaccinated against diseases known to cause viral meningitis and to wash your hands regularly. Thorough hand-washing can protect you from not only viral meningitis, but lots of other diseases.