Final answer:
The medical term for an inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord that can be highly contagious is meningitis. It is a serious medical emergency, characterized by symptoms such as headache, fever, and stiff neck, and can result in severe neurological damage if not treated promptly.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medical Term for Inflammation of the Meningeal Coverings
The medical term for an inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord, which can be highly contagious, is meningitis. This condition is a serious medical emergency, as the meninges are critical for protecting the central nervous system (CNS). Meningitis can be triggered by various pathogens, most commonly viruses and bacteria. Bacterial meningitis is especially severe, potentially causing brain damage and death if not treated promptly with antibiotics. Symptoms can include headache, fever, photophobia, stiff neck, convulsions, and confusion. Such an infection of the meninges can be highly dangerous because of the potential for increased intracranial pressure, which can severely damage brain tissue confined within the rigid skull.
The term meningococcal disease refers to infections caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, which can lead to a form of bacterial meningitis. Encephalitis refers to inflammation of the brain tissue itself and not the meningeal coverings. Lastly, polio is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, primarily affecting the nervous system, but it does not directly pertain to an inflammation of the meninges.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option 1) Meningitis.