Q. How do you know if you have meningitis? Us there more than one kind?

Hello, Feili Tu:

Greetings! I am one of the reference librarians, and I am more than happy to work with you.  According to your email, you would like to know the kinds of meningitis (if more than one type exists) and their symptoms. 

I would like to recommend using a reliable consumer health information source with a variety of ready-reference tools.  On the library’s website, there are selected subject sources and resources that can be found on the Internet.  In the “Resources” section, you can find the “Health & Medicine” subject category.  When you browse the resource list in this category, you can find several websites in the “BEST OF THE WEB” section.  One of them is “MEDLINE Plus - National Library of Medicine.”  MEDLINEPlus is published and maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.  Many health information specialists select this source because it is one of the most credible resources on consumer health information.  I will include the direct link to access MEDLINEPlus in this message.  In addition, there are encyclopedias, dictionaries, interactive tutorials and other ready-reference tools on this site.  You can type the keyword (meningitis) in the search features (on top of the screen) and find several results.  The first one is “Meningitis (National Library of Medicine).”  On the “Meningitis (National Library of Medicine)” page, you can also find a lot of information and links, including:

• Meningitis (Also called: Spinal meningitis)

“ … There are several types of meningitis. The most common is viral meningitis, which you get when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain. Bacterial meningitis is rare, but can be deadly. …

… You should seek medical care quickly if you have

·         A sudden fever

·         A severe headache

·         A stiff neck …”

Many links are also available to find more information about meningitis, such as overview, diagnosis/symptoms, etc.

• MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA: Meningitis

More detailed information on causes and symptoms can be found on this page.

The information on the MEDLINEPlus site is prepared for general public users, so it is easy to understand.  An online dictionary is also available in case you need to check the meaning of any medical terminology.

I hope that the information provided answers your questions.  If you need further help, please e-mail us again.

Sincerely,

Feili Tu-Keefner, Reference Librarian

Lexington County Public Library

Lexington, SC 29072

Voice: 803-777-1026

FAX: 803-777-7938

E-mail: slis703teame@gmail.com