\u201cMeningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain,\u201d said Brandon Dionne<\/a>, an associate clinical professor in pharmacy and health systems sciences and a clinical pharmacist who specializes in infectious disease. Known as the meninges, the lining protects and surrounds the brain and spinal cord.\u00a0<\/p>\n While there are also viral types of meningitis, the most serious cases stem from bacterial infections, Dionne said. Bacterial meningitis \u201ctends to have the most sudden onset and highest mortality. It can lead to death within a couple of days,\u201d he said. The American Society for Microbiology<\/a> says the case fatality rate for bacterial meningitis is 10 to 15%, even with antibiotic treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most common pathway is that (bacteria) get into the blood and then they get into the meninges and cause infection and inflammation, which is why we call it meningitis.\u201d<\/p>\n There are five types of bacterial meningitis, grouped by a specific kind of immune system-baiting surface protein they share.<\/p>\n Neisseria meningitidis or meningococcus is the bacteria behind the U.K. outbreak and belongs to type B, which is not among the groups that most commonly cause meningitis, Dionne said.<\/p>\n What are the symptoms?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cBacterial meningitis is best treated when caught early, but the challenge is that symptoms can often be confused with other types of illnesses, whether it\u2019s the flu or a bad cold,\u201d said Neil Maniar<\/a>, director of Northeastern\u2019s master of public health program.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could miss a really critical opportunity to treat it and ensure that someone can make a full recovery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/NeilandBrandon.jpg\")
Professors Neil Maniar and Brandon Dionne say untreated bacterial meningitis can turn serious quickly. Photos by Matthew Modoono\/Northeastern University<\/p>\n