Jimmy Carr says meningitis left him ‘close to death’, but how do you catch it?

Jimmy Carr has shared how he was "close to death" when he was diagnosed with meningitis as a child.

The comedian, 51, said he was treated in hospital in Ireland when he was still a toddler and was told he "nearly didn’t make it".

Speaking on the podcast Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake with Kathy Burke, he said: "I had meningitis when I was a child. So my first memory is a lumbar puncture in Limerick in the General (hospital).

“I was three, I think, and … I was always told it was very close to death."

Carr went on to reveal he was told it was touch and go about whether he survived the infection.

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, according to the NHS, and is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.

It can be very serious if not treated quickly, causing life-threatening sepsis and permanent damage to the brain or nerves.

Abbey Clancy previously detailed her daughter's experiences of contracting viral meningitis that saw her rushed to hospital earlier this year.

Speaking on The Therapy Crouch podcast, which she hosts with her husband Peter Crouch, she said: "The school holidays have been tough.

"We got to Portugal and Sophia was in hospital with meningitis which was just the scariest thing on earth – being in a foreign hospital, language barriers, the words like meningitis being thrown around, lumber punctures, brain scans.

"It was horrific – I felt so vulnerable – and scary. But I must say the medical care over there was just out of this world."

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, the NHS explains.

"Meningitis is a condition where the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord become inflamed," explains Prof Vijay Nayar at Healthium Clinics.

"It can affect adults and children and is most common in young children under five."

If not treated quickly, meningitis can be very serious and can cause life-threatening blood poisoning called septicaemia, which can result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves.

Can you catch meningitis?

Clancy's daughter experienced viral meningitis, which is where the infection is caused by a virus.

However, it is also possible to contract bacterial meningitis, where the infection is caused by bacteria, which can also be life-threatening.

"Meningitis is usually caught from people who themselves are not unwell but are carrying the viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat," explains Professor Nayar. "In these cases the infection is spread through coughing and sneezing as well as close contact such as kissing. Less commonly it may be caught from someone who already has meningitis."

Fortunately meningitis is not as contagious as some other infections and does require close or prolonged contact to catch it.

"Although anyone can potentially get meningitis, it is more common in younger children, teenagers and young adults, older folk and those with a weakened immune system," Professor Naya adds.

In some cases close contacts may be offered antibiotics as a preventative measure and this will include household contacts or when sharing student accommodation.

"Brief contact with someone who has meningitis will not require antibiotics to be taken," he adds.

Meningitis symptoms

The main things to look out for are:

• high temperature (fever)

• being sick

• headache

• rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not always develop)

• stiff neck

• aversion to bright lights

• drowsiness or unresponsiveness

• seizures (fits)

The Meningitis Research Foundation points out that sufferers may not always get all the symptoms and they can appear in any order.

The first symptoms are usually fever, vomiting, headache and feeling unwell. Limb pain, pale skin, and cold hands and feet often appear earlier than the rash, neck stiffness, dislike of bright lights and confusion.

Treatment for meningitis

Bacterial meningitis usually needs to be treated in hospital for at least a week, with treatments including:

• antibiotics given directly into a vein

• fluids given directly into a vein

• oxygen through a face mask

Viral meningitis tends to get better on its own within seven to 10 days and can often be treated at home.

Resting taking painkillers and anti-sickness medication can help relieve the symptoms during recovery.

Additional reporting PA.

Health conditions: Read more

• What is 'AuDHD' and why are more being diagnosed with it? (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read)

• How to prevent and tackle cystitis as you exercise in spring (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)

• What is a chronic migraine? Symptoms, causes, treatments and myths debunked (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read)