Meningococcal disease occurs sporadically during the year, symptoms are easily confused, causing late treatment, which can leave severe sequelae.
In mid-June, Ngoc Anh (6 months old) was taken to the hospital by her family for treatment with a high fever of 5 degrees Celsius, lethargy, aborting, convulsions, some red purpura appeared on the skin. Star.
The family said that the baby had symptoms of high fever and red rash two days before being admitted to the hospital. The family believes that the child has dengue fever, so they buy medicine to treat it themselves. When the disease did not improve, the family took the baby to the hospital. The baby is not old enough to be vaccinated against the disease.
Doctor Phan Thi Thu Minh, Deputy Head of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital in Hanoi, said meningococcal disease is an acute infectious disease that is transmitted mainly by respiratory tract and causes diseases such as meningitis, bacteremia, pneumonia, arthritis, otitis media, pericarditis... In which meningitis and bacteremia are the two most common and dangerous conditions that can lead to death within 24 hours. If the child survives, the child can still face serious sequelae such as amputation of limbs, fingers, toes or brain damage, hearing loss, etc.
People infected with bacteria that cause meningococcal disease often have symptoms of fever, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, appearance of star-shaped death spots on the skin 1-2 days after fever... The presence of maculopapular lesions, especially in the trunk and legs, is an indication that the patient is seriously intoxicated and is facing complications of meningococcal toxicity. Cases are usually concentrated in the fall, winter and spring. Although summer is not the season for meningitis, cases still appear sporadically, mixed with purulent meningitis syndrome.
Everyone is susceptible to meningococcal disease, but infants and young children are most at risk. Many cases are detected late, hospitalized when they are already in serious condition because they confuse symptoms with flu or dengue fever.
Children were examined at the Pediatric Department, Tam Anh General Hospital System. Image: Herbs
For example, in early June, the Bac Ninh Center for Disease Control (CDC) recorded 6 cases of meningococcal disease in Yen Phong district. The patient consists of a 2-year-old male and a 4-year-old female, who are sisters in the same family, who have not been vaccinated against meningococcal disease. At the end of May, the child had symptoms of fever, headache, cough, runny nose, and was prescribed medicine by the clinic but it did not help.
After that, the children had scattered necrotic purpura all over the body, accompanied by pain, and had to be treated at the National Children's Hospital. So far, the health status of the two children is stable, no similar cases have been recorded.
According to the Bac Ninh CDC, meningococcal disease has a high rate of complications and death (complication rate 10-20%, mortality from 8-15%), the rate of asymptomatic carriers from 5-25%. XNUMX%. The disease has the ability to spread into an epidemic, so it has been monitored and implemented epidemic prevention measures as soon as there is a case.
Family vaccinated children against meningococcal disease at VNVC. Image: Herbs
Doctor Bach Thi Chinh, Medical Director of the VNVC Immunization System said that meningococcal disease prevention is very important to reduce the incidence. Recommended measures include personal hygiene such as frequent hand washing; antiseptic throat, mouth; eat nutritious food, exercise to improve body health; Regularly clean the living and working places. People should go to the doctor when they suspect they have the disease. For those who have been exposed to the source of the disease, the doctor may prescribe drug prophylaxis.
To prevent the disease, an effective and proactive measure is vaccination. Pathogenic bacteria have 13 different groups, 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 their children can be vaccinated early.
At VNVC are vaccines such as: Prevenar 13 (Belgium) and Synflorix (Belgium) to prevent pneumococcal diseases; VA-Mengoc-BC (Cuba) and Menactra (USA) for prevention of meningococcal diseases; 6 in 1 Hexaxim (France) and Infanrix Hexa (Belgium), Quimi-Hib (Cuba) to prevent Hib diseases. All vaccines are proven effective, safe, create active immunity for the lungs, respiratory system, avoid co-infection with many diseases, reduce severe progression and mortality.
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