Random Laurene Factoid: According to the 1946 U.S. Social Security Administration data, the first name Laurene is not a popular baby girl's name in Ohio. Imagine that, only 5 babies in Ohio have the same name as you in 1946.
Bacteria and viruses are the two main causes of meningitis. The bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, also called meningococcus, causes meningococcal meningitis. In children and teens, meningococcus is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. In adults, it is the second most common cause.
Bacteria and viruses cause the great majority of meningitis disease in infants and children. The most serious occurrences of meningitis are caused by bacteria; viral-caused meningitis is common but usually is less severe and, except for the very rare instance of rabies infection, almost never lethal. Bacterial meningitis can be caused by many different types of bacteria. 2  Certain age groups are predisposed to infections of specific types of bacteria. 3  Immediately after birth, bacteria called group B Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria species are the most common.