Teens Are Breeding Grounds for Meningitis-Causing Bacteria, Literally

The reason why meningitis seems to strike during the teen years may be that teens' bodies are more likely to carry a chemical that fuels the growth of the bacteria that cause meningitis, according to a new study.

In the study, the researchers discovered that the bacteria species that causes meningitis, Neisseria meningitidis, contains a cluster of genes that allows it to use a compound called propionic acid for growth. Propionic acid, in turn, is generated by other bacteria that become more common in the human body during adolescence, said James Moir, a researcher at the University of York in England and one of the researchers on the study. Read more...

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