By: James Dockins and Aditya Singh

an infection of the meninges by any one of a number of different viruses.

CAUSED BY ENTEROVIRUSES; HOWEVER, ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH ENTEROVIRUS INFECTIONS ACTUALLY DEVELOP MENINGITIS.

SAMPLES OF BLOOD OR CEREBROSPINAL FLUID ARE COLLECTED AND SENT TO THE LABORATORY FOR TESTING.

Fever (infants) Irritability (infants) Poor eating (infants) Severe headache (adults) Stiff Neck (adults)

Babies are more susceptible. Babies have weaker immune system than

adults or teenagers have. Babies have a two defenses, one is a

defense against some bugs and the second one are antibodies called immoglobins that also defend against some bugs.

some people with viral meningitis are contagious while others, such as mosquito-borne viruses, cannot be spread from person to person.

Viral meningitis comes from bacteria when that bacteria takes over your spinal cord.

history shows that the infection ravaged many populations before it was stopped in its tracks by a vaccination in 1978.

Read more: When Was Meningitis First Discovered? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5234584_meningitis-first-discovered_.html#ixzz2Kj6WqkKU

"Difference Between Flu and Meningitis | Difference Between | Flu vs Meningitis." Difference Between Flu and Meningitis | Difference Between | Flu vs Meningitis. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013

"Viral Meningitis." Meningitis Symptoms. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013 http://meningitissymptomsare.com/viral-meningitis/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Feb. 2013 http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html

"Where Did Meningitis Originate." Www.ehow.com/facts_where_did-viral-meningitis-originate.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2013.

Hatfield, Jim. "Meningitis." Sick! London: Franklin Watts, 2005. 94-96. Print.

Bunch, Bryan H. "Meningitis." Diseases. Vol. 5. Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 1997. Print.