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Info on Meningitis
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MENINGITIS

There are two strains of germ which cause meningitis, type B & type C.  There is a vaccine against type C germs and you should have been immunised.  If you are aged 24 or under, it is important to have this vaccination as this is considered to be the at risk age group.   There are two diseases described as meningitis:-

 

Meningitis:  which means inflammation of the meninges, the membrane covering the brain.

Septicaemia: which means blood poisoning.

 

The germs that cause MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS or SEPTICAEMIA are very common and live naturally in the back of the nose and throat (nasopharynx).  They spread between people in droplets from the mouth and nose.  Outside the human body they do not survive for very long and so cannot be picked up from buildings or factories, water supplies, toilets or swimming pools.  People of any age can carry these germs for days, weeks or months without becoming at all unwell.  In fact, being a carrier helps boost natural immunity.  Only on rare occasions do the bacteria overcome the body’s defences and cause illness.  It can take between two and seven days after being exposed for someone to develop the disease.

 

The signs and symptoms of the illness are:-

 

Meningitis:                                            Septicaemia:

Fever                                                       Fever

Vomiting                                                   Vomiting

Severe headache                                       Bruising rash

Stiff neck                                                 Rapid breathing

Dislike of bright light                                   Cold hands and feet

                                                              Joint/Muscle pain

 

 

NOT ALL OF THESE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS MAY SHOW AT ONCE, but someone with this illness will become very ill.  The illness may progress over one or two days BUT IT CAN DEVELOP VERY RAPIDLY, sometimes in a matter of hours.

Diagnosis in the early stages can be difficult.  The early signs can be like bad ‘flu’ symptoms but be WATCHFUL and use your instincts.  IF SOMEONE BECOMES ILL WITH SOME OF THESE SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS, CONTACT YOUR GP PRACTICE URGENTLY  and ask for advice.

 

You can get further information from:

  • The Meningitis Research Foundation    www.meningitis.org   Telephone:  0808 800 3344(24hr helpline)