Meningococcal Meningitis

What is meningococcal meningitis?
Meningoccal meningitis is a special form of brain fever where the lining of the brain (all internal organs have a lining membrane to help protect them) is infected with a bacteria that reaches the brain through the bloodstream.

How does one get this disease?
You will be surprised to know that up to 20% of the population carries this bacterium at the back of the nose and these are known as carriers. However, they can transmit these germs to other individuals and once the germs enter the body of the individual, it usually spreads very rapidly throughout the body and reaches the meninges. Unlike the common cold or influenza virus, you cannot get this infection just by inhaling the offending bacteria, you need close physical contact among people like living in close quarters, or kissing and this explains why it is more common in adolescents and young adults.
So the risk factors for getting meningococcal disease are:

• Age: Most common in adolescents and young adults though seen in infants too.
• Community setting: Most likely to spread where large groups gather together like students living in a dorm
• Certain medical conditions: People who have had their spleens removed – usually have been immunized either before or after surgery.
• Travel: People traveling to sub-Saharan Africa especially in the dry season are more prone.

What happens to a person who contracts this disease?

1. Meningococcal Meningitis (Brain Fever)
   The symptoms include sudden onset of fever, headache (severe and constant), and stiff neck. It is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Photophobia (increased sensitivity to light)
• Altered mental status (confusion)
  The symptoms of meningococcal meningitis can appear quickly or over several days. Typically they develop within 3-7 days after exposure to the bacterium

The symptoms and signs are difficult to distinguish from influenza or other viral diseases. Following symptom onset, progression can be rapid with death occurring within hours.

B. Meningoccal Septicemia

This is another common outcome after infection with the bacteria and is far more serious of the two. When someone has meningococcal septicemia, the bacteria enter the bloodstream and multiply, damaging the walls of the blood vessels and causing bleeding into the skin and organs.
Symptoms may include:

• Fatigue
• Vomiting
• Cold hands and feet
• Cold chills
• Severe aches or pain in the muscles, joints, chest or abdomen (belly)
• Rapid breathing
• Diarrhea
• In the later stages, a dark purple rash
  

  The overall case-fatality rate of meningoccal disease is 10% and every 1 in 5 patient survivors has sequelae such as hearing loss, neurologic disability or limb loss.

  How can meningitis be prevented?

• General health measures
• Vaccination
  

  The only rational approach to control meningococcal vaccine is immunization with safe and efffective vaccines.