Luckily, bacterial meningitis is much rarer than viral meningitis. The early signs of bacterial meningitis are similar to, and are often confused with, the flu: severe headache, sleepiness, stiffness in the neck, pain in joints, an aversion to bright lights, running a high temperature or having a fever, dizziness, vomiting. Bacterial meningitis is sometimes accompanied by septicemia (a blood infection caused by the same bacteria responsible for the meningitis). In this case, the patient will likely develop a rash, which will start out as small red spots and grow as the infection proceeds. The way to check if a rash may be a symptom of blood infection related to meningitis is to press a narrow glass against the rash. If the rash does not disappear while the glass is pressed against it, then it could be an infection and you should seek medical attention.

The early signs of viral meningitis are similar to the early signs of bacterial meningitis and are also often confused with the flu: headache, pain in joints, sore throat, running a high temperature, diarrhea. If you believe that you have meningitis, it is important to see a doctor in order to distinguish the milder viral form from the potentially fatal bacterial form. Not all of the symptoms of meningitis may appear at once, but if more two or more of the warning signs appear at one time, then you should seek immediate medical attention for yourself or your child. If your doctor cannot be contacted, then go to the emergency room.