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 the
early symptoms often appear before meningitis symptoms like neck stiffness and dislike of light, and before the more
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
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Fever |
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Throwing up repeatedly |
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Shivering
|
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Very cold hands and feet |
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Pale or mottled skin |
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Severe limb pain or pain in joints or muscles |
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Rapid breathing |
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Thirst |
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Stomach pain(Sometimes diarrhoea) |
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Rash |
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Difficulty standing or walking |
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Severe sleepiness, losing consciousness |
Meningitis
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Fever |
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Throwing up repeatedly |
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Severe headache
|
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Stiff neck |
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Dislike of bright lights |
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Confusion / deliriousness |
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Severe sleepiness / losing consciousness |
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Rash |
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Seizures |
Watch out for tiny red or brown pin prick marks which can change into purple blotches or blood blisters.
 |
 |
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Early stages of septicaemia
(blood poisoning)
(picture courtesy Dr A Riordan)
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Typical rash of septicaemia
(picture courtesy Dr A Riordan)
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Septicaemic rash on conjunctiva
(picture courtesy D A Warrell)
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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).
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