Question: I recently watched a commercial on TV about meningitis. It was said that meningitis can be spread by sharing drinks. I'm an athlete and sometimes share drinks with my teammates. When I play any sports, or even when I wear something that traps heat, I sweat a lot. Also, I have trouble waking up because it feels like I need to go back to sleep. When I do wake up, I feel sleepy during the day. Are these any signs that can be a serious disease or viruses? Should I go tell my doctor?

Answer: Meningitis is a good topic to talk about, especially with the relatively new recommendations about getting a vaccine. Meningitis is a very serious infection that causes swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. It can cause long-term health problems and even death. It does cause fever, which obviously can make you sweaty, and can cause fatigue (tiredness). However, it is an acute process that makes you quite ill very quickly, unlike the symptoms you describe in your question.

Other symptoms of meningitis include vomiting, severe headache, stiff neck and rash. The infection is caused by bacteria (or viruses) that are spread from person to person by close contact. It is unlikely you will get meningitis from sharing drinks, but it is probably a good idea not to do so, as you certainly can share many infections that way. To help protect yourself against bacterial meningitis (the most severe form of meningitis), multiple national organizations, including the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, recommend the following people should receive the meningitis vaccine:

• u All 11-12 year olds.
• u All previously unvaccinated youth entering high school.
• u All previously unvaccinated college freshmen living in dormitories.

So, to answer the rest of your question, the things you are describing do not sound like meningitis. Getting sweaty with exercise is normal. If you feel that it seems out of proportion compared to your teammates, you might want to discuss this with your doctor. It could be a sign of being less conditioned (or more out of shape) than your teammates, and so should get better as you practice more. However, there are other causes of what we call "exercise intolerance," for which your doctor can evaluate you. It is always a good idea to have a "sports physical," or check-up with your doctor, prior to participating in sports to check for such problems. As far as being sleepy, the answer is similar. It is likely just a result of having a lot of scheduled activities and probably not getting enough sleep. However, again, being overly tired can be a sign of a more serious health problem. If you are getting adequate sleep, and still feel excessively tired, you should discuss this with your doctor.