Meningitis
Recognising this illness could save someone’s life
A meningitis rash doesn’t go away when you press it with a drinking glass
© Getty
Meningitis means inflammation of the meninges, the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord. Normally a shield called the blood-brain barrier (BBB) keeps bacteria, viruses and fungi away from this delicate structure, but sometimes they manage to break through. When this happens, an infection can start to grow in the fluid that surrounds the brain. As the immune system tries to bring the infection under control, the meninges become inflamed. This leads to three classic symptoms: a very bad headache, a fever and a stiff neck.