Daveigh Chase, the young actress best known for “The Ring” and “Lilo & Stitch,” has reportedly died at 35 from meningitis and an infection in her blood, her boyfriend Roy Hernandez told TMZ.
Meningitis is an infection and inflammation of protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord that provide structural support, cushioning tissue, improved circulation and more.
There are several types of meningitis, including bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic and ones caused by non-infectious factors. Viral meningitis is the more common and less serious form of the disease, while bacterial meningitis “accounts for the minority of meningitis cases but can be associated with severe neurological complications and even death,” Dr. Rodrigo Hasbun, an infectious diseases professor at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School, previously told USA TODAY.
Here’s what else to know about the infection.