Beware of meningococcal meningitis

Meningococcal disease appears suddenly with symptoms of high fever, severe headache, vomiting, stiff neck, fatigue, possibly sore throat, petechiae or hemorrhagic patches, asterisk-shaped purpura, and vesicles.

Children are very susceptible to meningococcal meningitis. Photo: kienthuc.

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, meningitis and encephalitis caused by meningococcus are acute infectious diseases. The "culprit" causing the disease is the bacteria Neisseria meningtidis. Meningococcal bacteria include 4 main groups: A, B, C and D, of which A and B are the most common.

The natural reservoir of meningococcal bacteria is in the human body. Therefore, the main source of infection is from patients and healthy people carrying the bacteria. The disease is transmitted through the respiratory tract by inhaling respiratory droplets containing the pathogen. Everyone is susceptible to meningococcal bacteria, in which the age group with the highest risk of infection is children, this is also the group with the largest number of healthy people carrying the bacteria.

Sickencephalitis, meningococcal meningitisappears suddenly with symptoms: High fever, severe headache, vomiting, stiff neck, fatigue, possibly sore throat, petechiae or hemorrhagic patches, asterisk-shaped purpura or blisters.The disease is prevalent everywhere in the world, often sporadic and can cause epidemics. In Vietnam, group A meningococcal disease is prevalent in many places, previously it could cause epidemics, now it only appears sporadically throughout the year.

To prevent disease and avoid spreading in the community, the Department of Preventive Medicine recommends that people:

- TPractice good personal hygiene. Wash your hands regularly with soap, gargle with common antiseptic solutions.

- VClean and hygienic living and working place.

-Take the initiative to vaccinate children against diseases, currently available at vaccination service facilities.

-If you have symptoms of high fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, you should go to a medical facility immediately for examination and timely treatment.

According to VNE