Thursday, June 27, 2013

How Harmful Can Meningococcal Meningitis Be?

\How Harmful Can Meningococcal Meningitis Be?, health tips, Certain seasons can trigger particular illness, especially caused by infections. Transition weeks from one season to another season can also cause germs and bacteria to grow and harm human’ health. The most fragile potential sufferer is of course kids. But, the case of meningitis is different. It can attack both kids and adults. Meningitis symptoms are commonly overlooked, whereas this condition if left untreated for some time may result in more severe infections. In the case of meningococcal meningitis that attacks brain, it can cause inflammation. In the US alone, one out of five patients with this illness is affected with complications that cause the brain damage, deafness and problems in the nerve system.

Meningococcal Meningitis


Meningococcal Meningitis Causes
Meningitis is mainly caused by viruses and bacteria. Meningococcus is caused by bacteria called neisseria meningitides and attack mostly kids as well as teenagers. The adults’ meningitis problems are commonly caused by viruses. The infection caused by bacteria may affect various parts of the body including respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and the skin. The bacteria can spread into the nerve system through the bloodstream. The real cause of this spread is unknown, although surgery and trauma can trigger this condition. The risks will improve if someone suffers from infection in the upper respiratory part. The ones who are fragile of this situation include infants, kids and teenagers.

Signs and Symptoms
How can one learn and recognize meningococcal meningitis symptoms and eventually treat them accordingly or at least get proper helps? The signs of this illness are including the following:

• rapid increase of body temperature. Fever happens suddenly and cannot be explained.
• heavy, long term headache followed with the feeling of nausea and also vomiting
• stiff neck can also occur, although the symptoms may differ from one person to another
• feeling uncomfortable being exposed in the light
• feeling painful in the joints and drowsiness
• differences in attitude as a result of confusion
• babies can cry in moans and having soft spot bulging
• over sleepiness
• feeling colds on the feet and hands; with quick breathing

Treatments and Care
When meningitis symptoms occur, it is very crucial to get help as soon as possible. Medical interventions can help detecting and treating the illness quickly and minimize the possible complications occur. Normally, the standard treatment includes preliminary tests to confirm the diagnoses. After that, the physician may give antibiotics and steroids. Both are the first medications prescribed to help the body to counter attack viruses or bacteria. To avoid the transmissions or break out, a person who has been exposed to through close contacts with a patient will also need to take up antibiotics. What about early prevention action? Vaccines are made available in the US that can be given to those who are nine months up to fifty five years old (Menactra vaccine) and between two up to fifty five years old (Menveo vaccine). Preventing is better than curing. So, if your kids have not been injected with the vaccine, make sure that they can get it soonest. And what about you? Have you been vaccinated yet?