ABSTRACT
Meningococcal meningitis, caused by Neisseria meningitidis, is a rapidly progressive infection
marked by systemic inflammation, high mortality, and neurological sequelae. Traditionally
viewed through sequential stages of invasion, emerging neurogastroenterology highlights the
Gut-Brain Axis (GBA) as a key regulator of immune tone and neuroinflammation. To examine
how intestinal physiology and gut microbiota influence illness susceptibility, progression, and
outcomes, a systematic literature search was conducted across major databases for English
language articles published between 2015 and 2024. The findings reveal that gut dysbiosis,
altered microbial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids, increased intestinal permeability, and
impaired vagal signalling compromise the neurovascular unit and modulate systemic immune
responses. These mechanisms facilitate blood-brain barrier disruption, enhance neuroinfection
susceptibility, and influence acute inflammatory cascades and long-term sequelae. Integrating
GBA pathways into disease models broadens our understanding of how peripheral gut
physiology drives central nervous system vulnerability and progression in meningococcal
meningitis.
Keywords: blood-brain barrier, gut-brain axis, meningococcal meningitis, Neisseria
meningitidis
How to cite: Isibor H, Ogharanduku P, Akinsola AO. Meningococcal Meningitis and the
Gut-Brain Axis: Mechanistic Intersections and Pathophysiological Consequences. Global
Professionals Multidisciplinary Practices Journal. 2026, 2(3): 18-29
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