It's every parent's worst nightmare: Their teenager returns home from camp or college with a fever, headache, and stiff neck--symptoms that sound a lot like the flu. But as it turns out, their son or daughter is suffering from a much scarier illness, meningitis. In some cases, the infection may go away on its own, but in other cases, the disease can result in seizures, brain damage, amputation, or even death.

Understanding Meningitis

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), meningitis (also known as spinal meningitis) is an infection of the protective fluid surrounding the spinal cord and brain. Although the condition is considered rare, every year the disease strikes about 3,000 Americans and claims roughly 300 lives. Between 100 and 125 cases occur on college campuses annually, and approximately 15 college students die from the disease.

There are two main types of meningitis, which differ in both severity and treatment. Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment, the CDC reports. Bacterial meningitis, on the other hand, can be life-threatening. Before the introduction of protective vaccines in the 1990s, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis; these days, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are the most common culprits.

Spotting the Signs
Because meningitis symptoms may be similar to those of other diseases, the infection can be hard to spot. Nevertheless, it's important that parents be on the lookout for the following telltale signs:..

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