meningitis
n. inflammation of the meninges, the three membranous layers that cover the brain and spinal cord, usually due to infection by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Symptoms include high fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, and headache. Bacterial meningitis includes meningococcal meningitis and tuberculous meningitis. Viral (or aseptic) meningitis is a milder nonbacterial disease; causes include the mumps, poliomyelitis, herpes viruses, and the echoviruses (which mainly affect young children during the summer). If untreated or not treated promptly, many types of meningitis can result in confusion, lethargy, coma, and eventually death.