What is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. It can lead to serious blood infections. When the linings of the brain and spinal cord become infected, it is called meningitis. The disease strikes quickly and can have serious complications, including death.

What are the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease?

Signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease usually start suddenly and include fever, headache, and a stiff neck. It can start with symptoms similar to influenza (flu). Often people with meningococcal disease also have nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, rash, and confusion.

Where is meningococcal disease common?

Meningococcal disease occurs worldwide, with the highest incidence of disease found in the ‘meningitis belt’ of sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, major epidemics occur every 5 to 12 years with attack rates reaching 1,000 cases per 100,000 population.

What is the survival rate of meningitis?

WHAT IS THE PROGNOSIS? Prognosis of meningitis depends on the cause. Untreated bacterial meningitis has a very high death rate. Even with appropriate treatment, the death rate from bacterial meningitis is about 15-20\%, with a higher death rate associated with increasing age.

How does meningococcal affect?

Meningococcal bacteria can multiply freely in CSF, and there they release poisons, causing inflammation and swelling in the meninges and the brain tissue itself. This increases pressure on your brain, producing symptoms of meningitis such as headache, stiff neck and dislike of bright lights.

How is meningococcal disease contracted?

Meningococcal disease is contagious. It is transmitted through close and prolonged contact with mucus from an infected person. Symptoms include a rash and fever. Meningococcal can affect people of all ages, but can be prevented with vaccination.

How does meningococcal affect the body?

Which of the following symptoms are very commonly experienced by patients with meningitis?

Up to 95\% of patients with bacterial meningitis have at least two of the four following symptoms: fever, headache, stiff neck, or altered mental status. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, photalgia (photophobia), sleepiness, confusion, irritability, delirium, and coma.

How common is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but serious bacterial infection. It causes the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed. Each year, approximately 1,000 people in the U.S. get meningococcal disease, which includes meningitis and septicemia (blood infection).

Can you get meningococcal from kissing?

Meningococcal disease spreads when people are in very close contact with each other for a long time – for example, kissing intimately or living in the same household. The bacteria can only live outside of the body for a few seconds, so you can’t catch meningococcal disease from casual contact or from the environment.

What does meningitis do to the brain?

Meningitis is an infection of the membranes (meninges) that protect the spinal cord and brain. When the membranes become infected, they swell and press on the spinal cord or brain. This can cause life-threatening problems. Meningitis symptoms strike suddenly and worsen quickly.

Why does meningitis occur?

Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. A bacterial or viral infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord usually causes the swelling. However, injuries, cancer, certain drugs, and other types of infections also can cause meningitis.

What are the early symptoms of meningococcemia?

Common early symptoms include: As the disease progresses, you may develop more serious symptoms, including: Symptoms of meningococcemia may resemble those of other conditions, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and rheumatic fever (RF).

How common is bacteremia in meningococcus?

As the name suggests, this bacterium is best known for causing meningococcal meningitis, which occurs in up to 20\% of those with meningococcemia. Up to 75\% of those with meningococcal meningitis will also have bacteremia.

What are the treatment options for meningococcal disease?

Doctors treat meningococcal disease with antibiotics, but quick medical attention is extremely important. Keeping up to date with recommended vaccines is the best defense against meningococcal disease. Risk factors, causes and spread to others, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and complications, prevention, photos…

How common is neneisseria meningococcemia?

Neisseria meningitidis, the bacteria that cause meningococcemia, can live harmlessly in your upper respiratory tract. Simply being exposed to this germ isn’t enough to cause disease. Up to 10 percent of people may carry these bacteria. Fewer than 1 percent of those carriers become sick.