Not all cases of meningitis are caused by an infection that is contagious. There are other reasons that a patient can get meningitis, and these non-infectious cases are linked with the presence of other health conditions in most cases. Autoimmune disorders, cancer treatment, and even cysts in the brain can lead to non-infectious meningitis. This is the least common form of meningitis.
The symptoms of non-infectious meningitis are usually quite similar to other forms of meningitis.
While many people recover in 1-2 weeks from non-infectious meningitis, the symptoms can also linger for a few months.
The causes of non-infectious meningitis vary, but there is no infection process that is behind this form of the condition. Undergoing cancer treatment can predispose you to this form of meningitis, as can having lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Various other autoimmune conditions can cause non-infectious meningitis, and having a brain cyst that leaks fluid into the subarachnoid space can also be a cause for this illness. In some cases, tapeworm infection can lead to non-infectious meningitis as well.
The risk factors for contracting this form of meningitis are:
In most cases, diagnosis of this condition is made through the use of a spinal tap procedure. This test removes a small sample of the spinal fluid to look for indications of meningitis. MRI or CT scans might also be used to assess the impact of the condition on the health of the brain and the spinal cord. Because the symptoms of this kind of meningitis can mimic infectious forms of the condition, these tests can help determine which kind of meningitis is present so that the right treatment can be applied.
Treatment will need to be started right away before lab tests have confirmed the diagnosis in most cases. The damage that can be done by meningitis to the body is quite severe. Antibiotics will be given until lab tests confirm that the cause of the meningitis is not an infectious form of the condition. Antiviral drugs will also be given in case the infection has been caused by the herpes simplex virus.
Once the cause has been determined to be non-infectious meningitis, doctors will begin to work on preventing damage related to the meningitis attack while also creating new management protocols for underlying health conditions that have led to the meningitis. Stopping certain drugs or changing to another form of treatment for things like Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis might be necessary.
This form of meningitis is not usually preventable since it is caused by other pre-existing health conditions.