Meningococcal Disease

Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection. It causes two very serious illnesses:

- septicaemia (blood poisoning)

- meningitis (an infection of the brain membranes)

Prompt treatment with antibiotics (usually by injection) can prevent death, or permanent disability such as damage to the brain or deafness. The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease can easily be passed on from one person to another. However, they hardly ever cause disease. Most of the time they sit harmlessly in the throat.

Child dies in Waikato Hospital

Rare but sometimes fatal

Signs and symptoms of meningitis (what you can see and feel)

Meningococcal disease can look like a case of the ‘flu in its early stages, but it quickly gets much worse. The symptoms may not all show up at once. Tell your doctor about any of the following signs and symptoms:

Your baby or child may:

have a fever
be unsettled, or crying (sometimes with a high pitched moaning sort of cry)
refuse drinks or feeds
vomit
be sleepy or floppy or harder to wake
have a rash, and/or pale and blotchy skin, and/or (red to purple) spots and/or bruise.

Adults may:

have a fever with sweating
have a headache
vomit
have joint pains, aching muscles or a stiff neck
be very sleepy, confused, delirious or unconscious
dislike bright lights
develop a rash of tiny red to purple spots or bruises caused by bleeding under the skin.

The rash can occur anywhere on the body. Even one little spot on a sick child or adult is very important so show it to your doctor as soon as you notice it.

DON’T WAIT – TAKE ACTION!

If you suspect that you or someone in your household may have meningococcal disease:

ring a doctor or medical centre right away – whether it is day or night
say what the symptoms are
insist on immediate action – don’t be put off – a life may be at risk.

The illness:

Illness may develop gradually over one or two days, or may develop quickly over a few hours, so:

watch anyone who has these signs – they may get worse very quickly
do not leave them alone – they may need help urgently
if they keep getting worse go straight back to your doctor
even if a person has been cleared by a doctor, they should still be watched in case they get worse suddenly.

Meningococcal disease can affect anyone, but babies, young children, teenagers and young adults are at greatest risk.

If meningococcal disease is treated straight away with antibiotics, most people will recover

Prevention

Meningococcal disease is spread in a similar way to the common cold. The bacteria live in the back of the nose and throat and are spread by coughing, sneezing, kissing and sharing food and drink with an infected person.

Antibiotic treatment

Adults and children who have been in close contact with someone who has meningococcal disease should get antibiotics to prevent the spread of the bacteria, preferably within 24 hours. Your doctor will arrange this with the local public health service.

A meningococcal vaccine is available

It only protects for a short while and does not give protection from all strains of the disease. The main use of vaccination in this disease is to control epidemics. Your doctor or local public health service will advise on this.

Smoking can weaken the body’s defences against the bacteria, which cause meningococcal disease. People living in smokefree homes are less likely to get serious infections.

Summary

If you or someone you know is feeling unwell. Think carefully: "could it be meningococcal disease?"

If that is a possibility act fast: get to a doctor as soon as you can. If you have just been to a doctor and been sent home, but are now getting worse; act fast; go back to another or the same doctor: You could be saving a life.

Where to go for advice on meningococcal disease

If you want to know more about meningococcal disease talk to your doctor, practice nurse, or medical centre, or contact your local Health Protection Unit ((07) 838 2569).

Meningococcal disease can progress very quickly

DON’T WAIT – TAKE ACTION

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