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Symptoms

Symptoms in young people


Get it sussed.

Meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours

Remember, vaccines can't prevent all forms.

You're fit and healthy - you think it's only flu, a hangover or the effects of a heavy night out, but don't just leave it.
  • Check out the symptoms
  • If you're feeling really bad, tell someone
  • If a mate's looking rough, stick around
  • If it gets worse fast, get medical help immediately

Symptoms can appear in any order.

But theEarly symptoms early symptoms often appear before meningitis symptoms like neck stiffness and dislike of light, and  before the moreSerious symptoms   serious symptoms.

Someone who feels really ill needs medical help even if they have a rash or a rash that fades. Not everyone gets all these symptoms.

The darker pictures indicate serious symptoms

Septicaemia

Symptom Fever
Symptom Throwing up repeatedly
Symptom Shivering
Early symptom Very cold hands and feet
Early symptom Pale or mottled skin
Early symptom Severe limb pain or pain in joints or muscles
Symptom Rapid breathing
Symptom Thirst
Symptom Stomach pain(Sometimes diarrhoea)
Serious symptoms Rash
Serious symptoms Difficulty standing or walking
Serious symptoms Severe sleepiness, losing consciousness

Meningitis

Symptom Fever
Symptom Throwing up repeatedly
Symptom Severe headache
Symptom Stiff neck
Symptom Dislike of bright lights
Serious symptoms Confusion / deliriousness
Serious symptoms Severe sleepiness / losing consciousness
Serious symptoms Rash
Serious symptoms Seizures


Watch out for tiny red or brown pin prick marks which can change into purple blotches or blood blisters.

Young People Young People Young People
Early stages of septicaemia
(blood poisoning)
(picture courtesy Dr A Riordan)
Typical rash of septicaemia
(picture courtesy Dr A Riordan)
Septicaemic rash on conjunctiva
(picture courtesy D A Warrell)

Young People Septicaemic rash on black skin

A septicaemic rash can be harder to see on dark skin, so check for spots over the whole body, especially on paler areas like palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, on the stomach, inside the eyelids (conjunctiva) and on the roof of the mouth (palate).


Young People Tumbler test for septicaemia

If a glass tumbler is pressed firmly against a septicaemic rash, the marks will not fade. You will be able to see the rash through the glass. If this happens get medical advice immediately. It is harder to see on dark skin, so check paler areas. Remember someone who is very ill needs medical help even if they have no rash or a rash that fades.

    Picture courtesy Prof P Brandtzaeg
  • 1 in 10 of us at any time carry the bacteria which cause these diseases and this is usually harmless
  • We pass them on by close contact, such as kissing
  • In a very few people the bacteria gets into the blood stream and cause meningitis and/or septicaemia
  • We don't know who is at risk - so get the symptoms sussed - you could save a life.

If you would like to order further information for your university, college, school or home click here.

Meningitis Research Foundation relies on public support to fund our vital work. To help us achieve our vision of a world free from meningitis and septicaemia click here. If you are a student click here.

If you'd like to see the new NHS leaflet Don't Ignore the Signs, it can be downloaded here:

Don't Ignore the Signs

Page last updated 18.09.07
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