Bacterial meningitis

The most common types of bacterial meningitis seen today are

• Pneumococcal meningitis
• Meningococcal disease (meningococcal meningitis and/or meningococcal septicaemia)

There are various strains of meningococcal meningitis, including strains A, B, C, W, and Y. The most common in New Zealand is meningococcal B. The second most common is meningococcal W.

Babies, young children, teenagers and young adults are at the greatest risk of infection. 

Some forms of bacterial meningitis affect new-born babies. The most common are E coli, group B streptococcus and Listeria. These types are rare outside of the neonate period (the first 28 days following birth).

The germs that cause bacterial meningitis are very common and live naturally in the back of the nose and throat of about 15% of the population. They can be spread between people by coughing, sneezing, kissing and sharing drinking bottles but they cannot live for more than a few seconds outside the body. Therefore they cannot be picked up from water supplies, swimming pools, or public places.