Recent reports have come out in the past week about outbreaks of deadly meningococcal meningitis in Africa (the Congo) and South America (Brazil).
Ten students at Maikazo Institute in Tshopo district in Kisangani, the main town in Orientale province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), died in one week from an unknown disease, with meningitis-like symptoms. It is now confirmed to be the serogroup C strain of meningococcal meningitis.
According to Dr. Cecile Edambulu who works at the hospital where the children were taken to, “the children had symptoms of headache, fever and convulsions. Upon arrival at the health center, they died. The symptoms that they showed made us think they were suffering from meningitis".
This strain of meningitis has infected at least 100 in this city on the Congo River.
In Brazil the cases of meningococcal meningitis continue to rise. In the Brazilian state of Bahia, there have been in excess of 2000 people infected with meningococcal meningitis serogroup C with over 100 deaths.
Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacterium, Neisseria meningitidis, which causes the most severe form of bacterial meningitis. Meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It can also be found in the bloodstream. This particular type of meningitis is very severe and can result in death if not treated promptly. Even in cases where treatment has been given, the fatality rate is around 15%.
The symptoms of bacterial meningitis are sudden, with fever, stiff neck, body aches and headaches. As the disease progresses other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, photophobia and seizures. A petechial rash seen on the trunk and lower extremities, bleeding complications, multi-organ failures and shock are usually final signs. This disease has the ability to kill within hours of getting it.
Up to 10-20% of older children and young adults carry this organism in the mouth and nose, though the carriage rate will vary with age and closeness of population. The majority of people that carry this bacterium have no clinical disease. The organism is spread person to person through respiratory secretions from the nose and mouth (coughing, sneezing and kissing). Experts are unsure why some people advance to meningitis disease while many do not.
Crowded living conditions facilitate the spread of the organisms and places like military barracks and college dormitories are well documented areas of concern with this disease.
What can you do to protect your family? You should get family members vaccinated if they fall into one of these categories prescribed by the CDC:
• If you have a high risk child from 2 to 10 years old.
• It is recommended to vaccinate children 11-18 years old.
• If you are a college freshman living in the dormitory. In the state of Florida, your child cannot reside in a dormitory without documented proof of vaccination.
• If you are a military recruit
• other medical conditions (no or damaged spleen)
• Traveling to a country where the disease is common.
If you have close contact with someone with meningococcal meningitis, see your doctor for prophylactic antibiotics.
Meningococcal meningitis is a devastating disease with epidemic potential. This disease is considered a medical emergency and if you have the classic symptoms see your health care professional. It can be treated with antibiotics, but without delay. Now you know how you can prepare yourself and your family to prevent this horrible disease.
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