Meningitis after-effects

On this page you’ll find information about recovery from meningitis and the short- and long-term after-effects that can persist after the illness.

• Most people make a full recovery from meningitis with no lasting problems.
• Bacterial meningitis is more likely to cause long-term after-effects than viral meningitis.
• Very young infants are more likely to have after-effects than older children or adults.
• You will need follow-up care if you’re suffering with any after-effects from meningitis.

What is recovery from meningitis like?

Meningitis is a serious illness and recovery patterns can be different. You might feel completely back to normal in a few weeks, or it may take many months for you to fully recover.

Recovery can come with different challenges depending on the age of the person affected.
 

• Babies can’t tell you how they feel, and parents naturally worry about what the future may hold for their child.
• Children can behave differently after being in hospital. They can become clingy, have temper tantrums and lose skills they’ve recently acquired.
• Adults are often shocked to discover they’re very tired and lacking in energy in the first few months following illness.

It’s important not to return to education and/or work too early after recovering from meningitis. You’re unlikely to have as much energy as you did before your illness, so a phased return might help you avoid becoming overwhelmed. You may need time to emotionally process your experience too.

Follow-up care and appointments with appropriate health professionals, specialists or support networks after meningitis are important. Ask about this when you’re discharged from hospital or speak with your doctor.

What are the after-effects of meningitis?

Meningitis affects everyone differently, and most people make a full recovery without any lasting problems. But in some cases, the disease can cause ongoing problems which may need further treatment and support.

The possible after-effects of meningitis include:¹
 

• Learning and intellectual disabilities such as memory loss, lack of concentration or issues with thinking and problem solving.²
• Clumsiness and co-ordination problems.
• Headaches.^3,4
• Deafness, hearing problems, tinnitus, dizziness or loss of balance.
• Epilepsy or seizures.
• Weakness, paralysis or spasms.
• Speech problems.
• Loss of sight or vision problems.
• Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain).
• Mental health issues and changes to personality or behaviour.
• Difficulties with sleep.⁵
• Fatigue.⁶
• Anxiety and depression.⁷

Sometimes the germs that cause meningitis also cause sepsis. If someone has had sepsis, they may have after-effects that include:
 

• Arthritis or joint stiffness.
• Scarring or skin damage.
• Damage to bones and joints.
• Loss of fingers, toes and limbs (amputations).
• Kidney damage.

 

Does meningitis cause long-term after-effects?

Most people make a full recovery from meningitis with no lasting problems. But it can leave people with temporary after-effects, or in some cases a lifelong disability.

Several factors can influence your chance of being left with a long-term disability after meningitis, including:
 

• Whether the meningitis was caused by bacteria or a virus. Bacterial meningitis is more likely to cause after-effects than viral meningitis. One in five people with bacterial meningitis are left with life-altering disabilities compared to one in 20 with viral meningitis.⁸
• The age you are when you become unwell. Very young infants are more likely to have after-effects than older children and adults.
• How severe your illness was. If you’re severely ill in hospital and have a long stay, you’re more likely to have after-effects than if your illness is mild.

Regardless of the cause, meningitis is a serious illness. Research has found that people who have had viral meningitis (which has been shown to be one of the less severe causes) can experience a reduced quality of life for at least one year after the acute illness.⁷ The perception of viral meningitis being less serious than bacterial meningitis can make it more difficult to access support for its after-effects.

What follow-up care should I get after recovering from meningitis?

Ideally, you should be given information about what to expect during recovery before you leave the hospital. The follow-up care you receive will be different depending on where you are in the world, and the guidelines that your local doctors follow. You may have further treatment involving different teams of doctors and specialists.

In some countries (including the UK), doctors will arrange at least one follow up appointment so they can check for longer-term after-effects. This is particularly important for children, as some long-term problems with brain development and function can't always be identified immediately after their illness.

Read more about the follow-up care after recovery from meningitis.

Can meningitis after-effects appear years after the illness?

Most adults who go home from hospital without any obvious effects won’t develop problems later. If you develop some of the known after-effects many years later, there is likely to be another cause. You should seek medical advice about any concerning symptoms.

Some after-effects in children might only appear as they get older and continue to develop.

Read our guide for families on recovering from childhood bacterial meningitis and sepsis.

 

Author: Meningitis Research Foundation.
Reviewed by: David Canham, Meningitis Research Foundation Ambassador; Mehmet Gencel, Menenjit Gönüllüleri Derneği and CoMO member.
Published: 3 January 2025.