Can shingles lead to meningitis?

Shingles or cutaneous herpes zoster (HZ) is commonly seen in the elderly or in immunocompromised patients due to reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus (VZV). Rarely can it spread to the central nervous system (CNS) leading to meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis, vasculitis or mixed forms.

What causes meningitis in young adults?

Viral infections are the most common cause of meningitis, followed by bacterial infections and, rarely, fungal and parasitic infections. Because bacterial infections can be life-threatening, identifying the cause is essential.

How do you get zoster meningitis?

Viral meningitis caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is an uncommon neurological complication of herpes zoster. It may occur before or after the onset of the vesicular rash along the dermatomal distribution, which is the classic presentation of herpes zoster.

Is viral meningitis from shingles contagious?

Is a person with viral meningitis contagious? Some of the enteroviruses that cause viral meningitis are contagious while others, such as mosquito-borne viruses, cannot be spread from person to person. Fortunately, most people exposed to these viruses experience mild or no symptoms.

What diseases are associated with meningitis?

Bacterial meningitis can cause stroke, hearing loss, and permanent brain damage.

Pneumococcal meningitis is the most common form of meningitis and is the most serious form of bacterial meningitis.
Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitides.

How long can meningitis go untreated?

Bacterial meningitis – bacterial meningitis has a sudden onset, and can cause serious health problems, or even death, within 24 hours if left untreated. If treated early, the symptoms of bacterial meningitis can improve in as little as 2-3 days.

What are the long-term side effects of viral meningitis?

Long-Term Effects of Meningitis