Meningitis - Part 2

Symptoms 

The most common symptoms vary in accordance to age:

Babies
High Fever.
Inconsolable crying.
Irritability.
Stiffness in the back of the neck.
Projectile vomiting.

Children, adolescents and adults Intense headache.
Stiffness in the back of the neck.
Vomiting.
Photo sensibility.

When the infection has extended throughout the body, red spots can appear that are called ‘petechiae’ and this is a sign of extreme gravity, however it does not appear in every case.

Diagnosis
The diagnosis can be made via a physical exploration followed by spinal tap.

Treatment
Antibiotics are administered after a diagnostic has been made.

Prevention
The vaccines that are currently available and administer under the calendar of vaccinations are for the serotypes A, C, W and Y.

In 2014, the vaccine against Meningitis Meningococcal or Meningitis B, which is one that has the highest mortality rates, was approved in Europe.

It is part of the calendar of vaccinations for children, with it only applied to them. However, nothing has been spoken about adolescents and young people eventhough they are the other high risk group.

The Spanish Society of Paediatrics has condemned the fact that the vaccine is not currently placed in the calendar of vaccinations and that it can only be obtained through a private prescription.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that when a campaign of vaccinations is administered to the entire population, prevents up to 70% of cases of Meningitis, and in the United Kingdom the health authorities state that the vaccine could prevent 90% of cases of Meningitis B.

Lastly, it can be confirmed that since we are administering the vaccine against Meningitis C, which has been established for a number of years, it has been practically eradicated and the same could also happen with Meningitis B.

We have the means; let us put them to use.

Goodbye Daisy, farewell.

Dr J. Hurtado Martínez
Medical Director of HealthSalus