Sepsis is a bacterial infection in the bloodstream, while meningitis is caused by an infection that inflames the protective coverings around the brain and spinal cord. Both require immediate medical attention and can be fatal. Meningitis always causes a fever and headaches, while sepsis may or may not cause a fever. Meningitis is diagnosed through a spinal tap, while sepsis is diagnosed through a blood sample.
There are big differences between sepsis and meningitis. Sepsis involves an infection, typically bacterial in nature, that is present throughout the bloodstream. Basically, the patient with sepsis will undergo blood contamination. Meningitis is caused by a bacterial or viral infection that has inflamed the meninges. The meninges are made up of protective coverings that surround the brain and spinal cord.
Both sepsis and meningitis conditions are extremely serious and require immediate medical attention. Although these conditions differ in the location of the infection, both typically require hospitalization. This is because both conditions involve toxin-producing microbes that can be fatal if the patient does not receive proper treatment.
One of the main differences between sepsis and meningitis is the presence of fever. With sepsis, fever may or may not be present. A patient with meningitis always has a fever. Both of these conditions can cause severe chills, nausea, and vomiting. Meningitis typically always causes a severe headache in most patients.
Patients who have suppressed immune systems can be prone to sepsis poisoning after sustaining an open wound or infection. This may include patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or patients undergoing chemotherapy. This response is more prevalent in sepsis than in meningitis.
Another major difference between sepsis and meningitis is in the treatment. With viral meningitis, antibiotics are not effective and so the disease must run its course with the patient receiving adequate rest and fluid intake. The exception to this is bacterial meningitis, which should always be treated with antibiotics. Patients suffering from sepsis will invariably need a course of antibiotics to cure the infection.
Meningitis almost always causes headaches and neck stiffness. Sepsis rarely causes a stiff neck symptom, although a headache is likely. Patients with meningitis may experience seizures in the advanced stages of the disease.
Another major difference between sepsis and meningitis is how they are diagnosed. The only surefire way to properly diagnose a case of spinal meningitis is to examine a sample of spinal fluid. This is done by performing what is known as a spinal tap. Extracted from the patient’s spinal region, this fluid is examined under a high-powered laboratory microscope. Technicians look for a strain of bacteria present in spinal fluid that is known to cause meningitis.
In an attempt to diagnose sepsis, however, a spinal tap is not necessary. The diagnosis of sepsis is usually made by examining a patient’s blood sample. White blood cells will typically be absent and red blood cells will show degeneration. A culture will be taken on the patient’s blood to see if the agents causing the bacteria are present, indicating sepsis. The results can take two to five days to make the diagnosis.
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