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Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia
What is Meningitis?
It is the inflammation of the lining covering the brain and spinal cord.
What is Septicaemia?
This is an infection in the blood caused by poisons released by bacteria. In septicaemia the bacteria damage the blood vessels, allowing blood to leak out under the skin. This results in marks on the skin - a rash of blood spots, purple bruises or blood blisters - and reduces the amount of blood needed for vital organs such as the liver and kidneys.
How common is it?
There are currently over 3000 cases of Meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia reported in the UK. Say 5 out of 100,000 people will get one of the two diseases per year.
How do people catch this disease?
At any one time one in ten people are carries of the bacteria that causes these diseases. Most of us carry the bacteria that cause Meningococcal Meningitis or Septicaemia in the back of the nose and throat. In most cases our natural immune system overcomes this, but in a few people the body's defence system breaks down and the bacteria passes into the blood stream. Once in the blood they can cause two types of disease; meningitis or septicaemia.
Why do only a few people develop the disease?
Unfortunately scientists do not yet fully understand why this happens. Younger children are more likely to get the disease, which may be because their immune systems are not yet fully developed. The Meningitis Research Foundation is funding research into the disease to hopefully be able to answer these and other questions.
What about vaccination?
There are different strains of the disease. Group B, which is the more common type within the UK, has no vaccine although scientists are working hard to develop one.
Vaccines are available for Group C Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia and Hib Meningitis. Both these vaccines are offered to babies as part of the UK infant vaccination programme. Group C is also offered to those most at risk from contracting the disease; children, young people and babies.
Where cluster outbreaks of the disease have arisen then the vaccine will be offered to immediate family and other people, considered to be at risk, who have not already had the Group C vaccine.
Cases of Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia can cause a great deal of anxiety, often unnecessarily.
Here are a few of the most common questions asked:
A child in our street has just recovered from meningitis. Should I keep my children away from him?
The answer is no. Anyone who has meningitis or septicaemia will have been treated in hospital with string medication to kill the bacteria that cause the disease. Therefore, someone recovering from a recent bout of the illness will no longer be carrying the bacteria.
My child's friend goes to a school where there has been a case of meningitis. Should I stop them playing together?
Do not avoid people just because they have come into contact with someone who has had meningitis or septicaemia. People you meet every day are carrying the bacteria and you would need to have 'close' contact with them before the bacteria could pass to you.
NB The bacteria are quite weak and only survive for a short period of time outside the body. They cannot live long in the air and are not carried on objects such as clothes and furniture. Even though you may have close contact with someone regularly it is unlikely you will develop meningitis and septicaemia as most of us have the natural resistance to the bacteria.
How can I be aware of the disease and what precautions can I take?
Know the signs and the symptoms of this disease. They can be treated with strong antibiotics and the sooner treatment starts the better. Know what to look for and get help quickly of you are worried about this.
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Author: Ann Brady
Copyright www.exercise.co.uk
2001
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Copyright Exercise, Fitness & Leisure 2001
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