Beware of meningococcal disease

Meningococcal disease appears sporadically throughout the year, symptoms are easily confused, leading to late treatment and possibly leaving serious sequelae.

In mid-June, Ngoc Anh (5 months old) was brought to the hospital by her family for treatment with a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius, lethargy, refusal to feed, convulsions, and several red, star-shaped hemorrhagic spots on her skin.

The family reported that the child had symptoms of high fever and a red rash two days before being admitted to the hospital. They assumed the child had dengue fever and treated it themselves with over-the-counter medication. Only when the condition did not improve did they take the child to the hospital. The child was not old enough to receive the dengue vaccine.

Dr. Phan Thi Thu Minh, Deputy Head of Pediatrics Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi , said that meningococcal meningitis is an acute infectious disease transmitted mainly through the respiratory tract and causes diseases such as meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia, arthritis, otitis media, pericarditis... Among them, meningitis and sepsis are the two most common and dangerous conditions that can lead to death within 24 hours. If the child survives, he or she may still face serious consequences such as amputation of limbs, fingers, toes, brain damage, hearing loss...

People infected with meningococcal bacteria often have symptoms of fever, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, and star-shaped rash on the skin after 1-2 days of fever... The appearance of rash, especially on the trunk and legs, is a sign that the patient is seriously poisoned and is facing complications of meningococcal poisoning. Cases are often concentrated in autumn, winter and spring. Although summer is not the season of meningitis, cases still appear sporadically, mixed in with purulent meningitis syndrome.

Everyone is susceptible to meningococcal disease, however infants and young children are at the highest risk. Many cases are detected late, with patients already in a severe condition, due to symptoms being mistaken for the flu or dengue fever.

Children are examined at the Pediatrics Department, Tam Anh General Hospital System. Photo: Moc Thao — Children are examined at the Pediatrics Department, Tam Anh General Hospital System. Photo: *Moc Thao*

For example, in early June, the Bac Ninh Center for Disease Control (CDC) recorded two cases of meningococcal disease in Yen Phong district. The children were a 4-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, sisters in the same family, who had not been vaccinated against meningococcal disease. At the end of May, the children had symptoms of fever, headache, cough, and runny nose. The clinic prescribed medicine but it did not help.

Subsequently, the children developed scattered necrotic purpura all over their bodies, accompanied by pain, and had to be transferred to the National Children's Hospital for treatment. To date, the health condition of the two children is stable, and no similar cases have been recorded.

According to the Bac Ninh CDC, meningococcal disease has a high rate of complications and mortality (10-20% complication rate, 8-15% mortality rate), and the rate of asymptomatic carriers is 5-25%. The disease has the potential to spread into an epidemic, therefore, monitoring and preventive measures have been implemented as soon as cases are detected.

Family vaccinates children against meningococcal disease at VNVC. Photo: Moc Thao — Family vaccinates children against meningococcal disease at VNVC. Photo: *Moc Thao*

Dr. Bach Thi Chinh, Medical Director of the VNVC Vaccination System, said that preventing meningococcal meningitis is very important to reduce the rate of infection. Recommended measures include personal hygiene such as washing hands regularly; disinfecting the throat and mouth; eating nutritious food, exercising to improve physical health; and regularly cleaning the living and working places. People need to go to the doctor when there are signs of suspected infection. For those who have been exposed to the source of the disease, the doctor may prescribe preventive medication.

To prevent the disease, the effective and proactive measure is vaccination. There are 13 different groups of bacteria that cause the disease, of which the most common are A, B, C, X, Y, Z and W135. There are currently preventive vaccines for groups A, C, Y and W135, indicated for children 2 years of age and older. Doctor Chinh recommends that families understand the importance of vaccines so that they can vaccinate their children early.

At VNVC, vaccines such as Prevenar 13 (Belgium) and Synflorix (Belgium) prevent diseases caused by pneumococcus; VA-Mengoc-BC (Cuba) and Menactra (USA) prevent diseases caused by meningococcus; 6 in 1 Hexaxim (France) and Infanrix Hexa (Belgium), Quimi-Hib (Cuba) prevent diseases caused by Hib bacteria. All vaccines are proven to be effective, safe, create active immunity for the lungs and respiratory system, prevent co-infection with many diseases, reduce severe progression and death.

Chile

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