Meningitis is difficult to diagnose. It usually comes on suddenly and can be easily confused with flu, as many of the symptoms are the same.
Seek medical attention
If you notice any of the symptoms of meningitis, particularly in a young child, seek medical help immediately.
This may mean going to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital in the middle of the night. Do not wait for the purple rash to appear as not everyone gets a rash. Always treat a suspected case of meningitis seriously until doctors have confirmed the diagnosis.
If you are not sure it is meningitis, you can get more information by:
Confirming the diagnosis
In cases of suspected meningitis, treatment will usually begin before the diagnosis has been confirmed. This is because some of the tests can take several hours to complete and it could be dangerous to delay treatment for that amount of time.
The doctors will carry out a physical examination to look for signs of meningitis or septicaemia (blood poisoning), such as a rash. They will also carry out tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Diagnostic tests for meningitis may include:
- a blood test – to check for the presence of bacteria or viruses that can cause meningitis
- a lumbar puncture – where a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is taken from the base of the spine and checked for the presence of bacteria or viruses
- a computerised tomography (CT) scan – if there are any other suspected problems, such as damage to the brain
- a chest X-ray to look for signs of infection
A lumbar puncture will need to be delayed if there are signs of increased pressure on the brain. This is because removing some of the CSF could increase in pressure even more.
