What is the difference between Meningococcal Sepsis and Meningocaccal Meningitis?

I'm not the smartest pea in the pod, so if you could explain it in simple terms that would be really great. Thanks.

Meningitis, strictly speaking, is an inflammation of the meninges. There are many causes for inflammation of tissue, and the meninges are no exception. However, the most common cause of meningeal inflammation is irritation caused by infection with bacteria or viruses. These organisms usually enter the meninges through the bloodstream from other parts of the body. Many meningitis-causing bacteria are carried in the nose and throat, often without the carrier having symptoms.

"Sepsis" is the term we use for an overwhelming bacterial infection. Sepsis usually includes "bacteremia", or bacteria in the blood, although bacteremia can happen without sepsis (you will have bacteria in your blood briefly every time you brush your teeth...). Usually we reserve the term "sepsis" for patients whose infections are so severe that they are in shock; such infections happen more often when the immune system isn't working quite right (because of cancer, AIDS, malfunctioning organs or bone marrow, or other diseases). Very young babies do not have fully-functioning immune systems either and are thus susceptible to sepsis; this is why we routinely give IV antibiotics to any child under 2 months old who has a fever -- we cannot risk leaving sepsis untreated.

sepsis is where the infection is in your blood stream and Meningitis is where the infection is in the cerebrospinal fluid (a fluid in your spinal cord and brain.) both can be fatally serious (upto 10 percent of meningococcal infections are fatal)



normal infections are located in a specific area and not in your blood stream most infections can become septic infections if they find away into the blood stream.

Hi I would like to answer your question in simple words but I don't really know how. So use this link: www.answers.com/topic/meningitis.
I think it might be helpful. I wish you luck.

Neisseria meningitidis is the name of the bacteria that is causing the problem. It is also known as "Meningococcus."

Hence:

Meningococcal Sepsis is a generalized infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis

Meningocaccal Meningitis is an infection localized to the meninges (a thin layer of skin that covers the brain), again caused by Neisseria meningitidis

Both are quite serious.

Ed