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Is It the Flu or Meningococcal Meningitis? Don't Wait to Find Out

"Your child has meningococcal meningitis."

As a mom, these are words I cannot imagine hearing. This is a disease that can be mistaken for the flu but can potentially be much more dangerous. If you have watched the news in the past few months, you probably heard about outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis in different cities and on university campuses.

This disease is rare, but it can potentially take an otherwise-healthy child's life within 24 hours. It is important to know that this disease can be prevented. So I am sure you are reading this and wondering why isn't it prevented?

Interestingly, a national survey, which was conducted this year, revealed…

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Featured

 The Sick Meningitis Patient – From Bad to Worse

These patients will have the classic petechial/purpuric rash on presentation 50% of the time. The most deadly form of skin involvement secondary to meningococcal infection is purpura fulminans, an acquired, often fatal, coagulopathy characterized by extensive skin involvement which rapidly progresses to skin necrosis with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). These patients will benefit from fresh frozen plasma (FFP) (10-20 ml/kg every 8 hours) and/or protein C concentrate (100-120 units/kg initial bolus).

Articles of Interest

EM@3AM: Bacterial Meningitis

Acute bacterial meningitis should be considered in anyone with fevers, nuchal rigidity, altered mental status or headache but it has been estimated that the classic triad is seen in less than 50% of adult patients.

Killer Disease on Campus

Despite all the progress in intensive care and the introduction of new vaccines for all but one type of meningococcal disease, the scourge still strikes fear into whole communities. It's a killer that doesn't discriminate, and across the world, hundreds of thousands die from it each year, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. I only hope that in my lifetime, the investment in vaccine research pays off and that eventually no more children and parents will have to suffer the pain and anguish that I have witnessed so many times.

Meningitis FAQ

Symptoms of meningococcal disease may range from high fever alone to high fever with a headache or stiff neck. Not every person with the disease has a stiff neck.

Post Exposure Prophylaxis

Prophylaxis needed for close contacts if <24h treatment with appropriate antibiotics: ciprofloxacin 500 mg (child younger than 5 years: 30 mg/kg up to 125 mg; child 5 to 12 years: 250 mg) orally, as a single dose, OR ceftriaxone 250 mg (child 1 month or older: 125 mg) IM, as a single dose (preferred option for pregnant women), OR rifampicin 600 mg (neonate: 5 mg/kg; child: 10 mg/kg up to 600 mg) orally, 12-hourly for 2 days. (NB. interacts significantly with many drugs (eg with the oral contraceptive pill) and is contraindicated in pregnancy and severe liver disease.)

The Fight Against Bacterial Meningitis And Meningococcemia Isn't Over

Anyone who’s spent time on a college campus has likely heard a lot about bacterial meningitis in recent years. Adolescents and young adults already have a higher susceptibility to this type of infection than other age groups — except infants — and the crowded environment of college can increase that risk. That said, anyone can come down with bacterial meningitis, or the related and more fatal meningococcemia, which is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Both of these are forms of what the medical profession calls meningococcal disease. Bacterial meningitis tends to be more severe than viral meningitis, and it can escalate rapidly if not properly diagnosed and treated.

What Is Meningitis, Anyway?

The harm that can come from this infection is so great, it’s simply not worth the risk. We all need to get ourselves and our loved ones in to see our provider for vaccination against this truly horrible disease.

What is the 'meningitis rash'?

When we think of meningitis, we may think of the so-called ‘meningitis rash’ – a red or purple marking on the body which remains present when pressed with a glass. However, the rash does not always appear in cases of meningitis, and the word ‘rash’ itself may be misleading.

Why College Campuses Get Hit By Meningitis Outbreaks

Well, we know that adolescents and young adults are at higher risk for meningococcal disease overall. But meningitis occurs in all age groups and it occurs in all states in the U.S. So every day there's a case or two. Most cases are sporadic; they just happen individually and that's it. In fact, 98 percent of cases are sporadic.

Resources

The 16 Vaccine

Some parents are aware of the first dose of the MenACWY vaccine at 11-12 years of age, but they don’t know the CDC recommends a second dose at age 16.

The Jamie Group

The mission of The J.A.M.I.E Group is to share knowledge about meningitis so that all can avoid this devastating but vaccine preventable disease. We are committed to lead the fight through education & community awareness & to advocate for increased information for students, parents, teachers & the medical profession. With your help, we can carry out this mission to secure stronger & healthier communities.

ABCWY Meningitis

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has vaccination recommendations for ALL 5 vaccine-preventable groups of meningitis—A, B, C, W, and Y—that have historically caused the most cases of meningitis. Finding out if your teen is missing vaccination against any of the 5 vaccine-preventable groups of meningitis—A, B, C, W, and Y—can be as simple as asking their doctor. Even if your teen has been vaccinated in the past, it’s still important to ask, because they could be missing vaccination against certain groups.

Meningitis Angels

Not just college freshmen living in dorms get meningitis. Please educate yourself, speak to your health care provider, follow ACIP recommendations for adolescents and get immunized.

Meningitis Now

Our vision is a future where no one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Meningitis Vaccine Project

The mission of the MVP is to eliminate meningitis as a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa through the development, testing, introduction, and widespread use of conjugate meningococcal vaccines.

The Amanda Young Foundation

The Amanda Young Foundation is a non-profit community organisation dedicated to reducing deaths in WA from meningococcal disease, and supporting survivors of the disease.

MedlinePlus

Antibiotics should be started as soon as possible. Ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly used antibiotics for meningococcal meningitis. Penicillin in high doses is almost always effective, too. If the patient is allergic to penicillin, chloramphenicol may be used. Sometimes corticosteroids may be used, especially in children.

Patient

Meningococcal infection is uncommon, but it is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK. About 2,500 people in the UK have bacterial meningitis each year.

StatPearls

Neisseria meningitides is the organism responsible for meningococcal meningitis and is the second most common causative organism for bacterial meningitis in the United States.