Risk factors for community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults

Bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges and occurs when bacteria invade the subarachnoid space. The meninges are the protective membranes that surround the brain and the spinal cord. Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening disease because the proximity of the infection to the brain and still has a high mortality. Bacterial meningitis is described as early as the 5th century B.C. in Hippocratic writings.
Organisms causing meningitis were identified in the late 19th century. The most common pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae.
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are common bacteria and are also commensal in the human respiratory tract without causing disease. It is unclear why some persons develop bacterial meningitis and others colonized with the same bacteria do not. The aim of my PhD project was to identify risk factors for adult bacterial meningitis and identify which protective measures can be taken to prevent bacterial meningitis in these risk groups.