Meningitis in service-age personnel

The incidence of meningitis is declining in the UK population largely due to increased availability of vaccinations against the most common bacterial strains. Acute bacterial meningitis, however, is a life-threatening condition and distinguishing it from more benign causes of headache and fever is difficult in an operational environment due to limited access to diagnostic tests. Despite medical advances, the case fatality rate in the United Kingdom in adults with invasive meningococcal disease is 10.5%. Acute bacterial meningitis presents with the classical triad of fever, neck pain and altered mental state in less than half of adults, and in the initial course of the disease it frequently mimics common viral illnesses. The aim of this article is to discuss the recognition and management of meningitis with special emphasis on the deployed military environment.