Today, the common cold causes many complications: weakness, headache and ear pain, craving for sleep and other undesirable symptoms. Under the most harmless sores, a really serious illness can hide. One of them is meningococcal infection.
What is meningococcal infection?
Meningococcal infection is an acute infectious disease transmitted by airborne droplets. It has many clinical manifestations: from rhinopharyngitis (problems with the mucous membranes) to meningitis (inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord). It is transferred by airborne droplets. With untimely treatment, the disease leads to serious complications, and in the future, to death.
Spreading through the air and upon contact, meningococci first penetrate the nose, mouth, respiratory tract, and from there affect the entire body. This leads to diseases of organs and systems (specific septicemia) and purulent leptomeningitis. Infection actively multiplies at a temperature of 37 degrees.
The main causative agent of the disease is a person with pronounced signs of meningococcal infection or a carrier of the same bacteria. It develops well during damp, mild frosts (March - May). Symptoms of meningococcal infection in adults are quite difficult. Most often found in children.
The incubation period of meningococcal infection averages 2-3 days, but possibly more (up to 10 days). At the time of the onset of the disease, the patient complains of migraines, drowsiness, fever and sweating.
Outside the body, bacteria are very weak: they die quickly under the influence of the best solar, disinfection, drying, low temperatures (less than 22 degrees). Such a disease is actively spread in China, South America and Africa. Such regions of Russia as the Murmansk, Arkhangelsk regions and territories bordering China and Mongolia are at stake.
Disease classification
According to the forms of development, three types of infection are distinguished: meningococcal sepsis, meningitis and meningococcal nasopharyngitis.
When meningococcal nasopharyngitis appears, the patient notices:
- Elevated temperature (up to 38 degrees).
- Nasal congestion and runny nose with a small amount of discharge.
- Weakness.
- Sore and dry throat.
All these signs strongly resemble an ordinary cold, and that is why people do not attach any importance to them. After drinking standard medicines, we completely forget about the disease, and at this time it begins to firmly bind to the body. Whatever the signs, always contact a specialist.
Meningitis is the most common form of the disease that spreads to any gender and age. Fatal outcome is most often found in children.
Symptoms of Meningitis:
- A sharp increase in body temperature.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Severe headache, not abated by painkillers.
- Hypersensitivity to loud sounds and bright light.
- Cramps.
- Clouding of consciousness.
- Constant thirst and complete rejection of food.
- Sometimes the liver and spleen increase.
- Blood pressure decreases and heart rate increases.
- The child lies on its side, and its head is thrown back.
Meningococcal sepsis is characterized by a rash throughout the body. The spots have a burgundy hue, and later dry gangrene and necrosis are formed. Untimely treatment always leads to death. This outcome can occur at any time during the course of the disease.
When providing first aid and proper therapy, the patient's condition improves after 6-12 hours. The disease itself can completely disappear after 2-3 weeks.
Meningococcal infection is a disease that requires quick and timely treatment.
Disease onset
As mentioned above, meningococcal infection is transmitted by airborne droplets. The main source of infection is the carrier of this disease. Meningococci are transmitted using:
- coughing
- sneezing
- during a conversation with the patient;
- during a scream;
- crying.
Most often, the disease spreads within the family, as infection requires close contact.
Infection has two types of transmission: localized (to a separate organ) and generalized (to the whole organism). For example, nasopharyngitis refers to a localized form of spread.
With a generalized form, things are more complicated. The disease first spreads to one organ, and then through a chain reaction to the whole body. Such a mechanism leads to very dangerous diseases:
- Purulent meningitis. The lining of the brain becomes inflamed. A disorder of consciousness occurs, severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, problems with cranial nerves appear.
- Pneumonia or pneumonia. The disease is characterized by weakness, sweating, pain in the chest area, severe cough with mucous membranes or purulent sputum.
- Meningoencephalitis. In addition to the shells themselves, the brain substance becomes inflamed. Sometimes the disease affects the spinal canal.
- Meningococcemia. It leads to blood poisoning. It can be both an independent disease and the result of complications of meningococcal infection.
- Arthritis. Joints become inflamed.
- Osteomyelitis. The spread of purulent infection on the bone tissue of the brain and nearby soft tissues.
- Myocarditis. Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium).
- Iridocyclitis. The iris of the eye becomes inflamed.
Meningococcal infection is an infection of the whole body. The disease is divided into three stages. Among them:
- The incubation period of meningococcal infection.
- The manifestation of its clinical signs (rash throughout the body).
- Distribution throughout the body.
How to identify MCI
In order to identify the disease, use the results of an epidemiological history, bacteriological analysis of blood, cerebrospinal fluid and mucus from the nasopharynx. If the signs of MKI are not put, then on the basis of the clinical picture, the patient is recognized as absolutely healthy.
In addition, they can additionally perform brain MRI.
If meningococcal infection is already taking place in moderate or severe forms, then the patient is assigned control over the coagulogram, the balance of electrolytes, kidney and liver functions, ECG.
In emergency situations, a spinal puncture is collected to make an accurate diagnosis. You should not be afraid of this procedure: a puncture of the canal is carried out in an area where no nerves depart from the spinal cord, so no paralysis or other mythical sores will appear.
In the event of a real suspicion of meningitis, the doctor is required to carry out a spinal puncture procedure. In addition, the analysis has a healing effect. With the intake of cerebrospinal fluid, intracranial pressure decreases.
The spread of meningococcal infection
- This disease is actively picked up by children under five years of age. It is at this age that I want to feel everything and taste it. But with interest in personal hygiene, things are much worse. Dirty hands, dirty objects - thousands of microbes are sitting on all this and no one knows what they will lead to in the future. Also, close communication is characteristic of children, and they will not immediately be able to guess that this person is unwell.
- Young people between the ages of 15 and 25 enjoy a nightlife. But who said that clubs are not a source of infection. Just imagine: a large crowd of people, common glasses, screaming, smoking, kisses - a "paradise" for hidden meningococci.
- Diseases are people over 40 years old. For them, the disease goes much harder than, for example, for a child of four years.
Most often, the virus can be obtained at a time when the immune system is most weakened. That is, this is the period of the end of winter - the beginning of spring. Hypothermia, started by acute respiratory viral infections or influenza increase the risk of developing meningococcal bacteria.
The source of infection is one - a person. Bacteria can also be found in the body of perfectly healthy people. That is, they are a "mediator" between him and the future patient.
Outside the epidemic, the percentage of infection is ten. In enclosed spaces, it rises to 60.
How do adults get sick?
Most often, adults catch such diseases in dormitories, barracks, offices - in general, in places where there is a large concentration of people. Meningococcal infection has a number of features in adults:
- Men are more often exposed to illness because they spend about a year in the army. And there hardly anyone will monitor the cleanliness of the room.
- People over 40 and old people get sick less often, but become carriers of this infection. With children, things are the other way around: they are often sick and almost never are carriers. And treating meningococcal infection in children is more difficult.
- In a completely healthy adult, meningococcal infection passes without deplorable consequences. In bedridden patients and the elderly, as well as people with concomitant diseases, the infection is extremely difficult.
Which doctor should I contact
At the first signs of nasopharyngeal diseases, you should contact your local pediatrician. If the child’s condition worsens rapidly (headache, fever, skin rash all over the body), call an ambulance. Further treatment is carried out in the infectious diseases department of the hospital. The child will need to be examined by a neurologist, ENT specialist, ophthalmologist and other doctors when new complications occur. For example, an examination by a cardiologist or dermatologist is sometimes required.
Treatment
When the first signs of the disease appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. The treatment process depends on the level of the course of the disease and subsequent complications. If the doctor diagnoses or only suspects the development of this disease, he prescribes Prednisolone or Chloramphenicol sodium succinate (these drugs are administered intravenously). However, such outpatient treatment only affects localized forms. In the case of a generalized form, the patient is hospitalized in an infectious diseases hospital. A photo of a rash of meningococcal infection is presented below. In critical condition, the patient is transferred to the intensive care unit.
If a person is diagnosed with purulent meningitis, then after first aid for meningococcal infection, he is prescribed intravenous administration of the necessary drugs. In addition to them, the patient takes antipyretics, "Furosemide", "Diazepam" (in case of seizures) and antibacterial substances. The dosage is selected taking into account the individual characteristics of the body.
It is necessary to provide the patient with a plentiful drink, vitamins. During this period, special attention should be paid to B vitamins, the intake of ascorbic acid.
After discharge, further monitoring of your health is necessary. For example, children who have had purulent meningitis need to be observed by a neurologist for several more years. This is due to the fact that the infection could damage any brain cells. Often after treatment, the child develops cerebrosthenic syndrome. It is characterized by rapid fatigue, sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, distraction, sometimes aggression and emotional instability. Provide your child with more sleep, walks in the fresh air, rest.
Call an ambulance immediately if you notice symptoms of meningococcal infection in children (the photo shows what the rash looks like). In no case do not self-medicate at home. You can alleviate the condition of a person, but not cure him. When calling a doctor, provide the patient with peace, dim lighting in the room. Apply cold to your head, let's drink plenty of water. If seizures occur, make a solution of salt and vinegar and soak a sheet in it. Wring it out well, wrap the baby with it. Also cover with blankets and expect a doctor.
Already in the incubation period, meningococcal infection affects the entire body.
Complications
With untimely treatment, the disease will entail many other, more serious, diseases. These include:
- Swelling and swelling of the brain. The patient has a severe headache, vomiting, blurred vision (fog or veil appears before the eyes). A decrease in respiratory rate signals urgent hospitalization.
- Infectious toxic shock. A large amount of toxins from the infection enters the bloodstream. Chills, headache, cramps, loss of consciousness, vomiting.
- Paralysis. Lack of ability to move limbs (muscle dysfunction).
- Pulmonary edema. Fluid accumulates in the lungs and leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the blood), asphyxiation.
- Hormonal dysfunction. The amount of hormones produced by the body becomes less than normal.
- Epilepsy. Sudden seizures that occur due to brain damage.
- Gastrointestinal and uterine bleeding.
- Deafness.
- Herpes, otitis media, pneumonia (these are infrequent infections).
Any complications of meningococcal infection require urgent hospitalization, as they can lead to death.
Disease prevention
There are two types of preventive measures for meningococcal infection: specific non-specific. Let's consider each of them.
Specific:
- The introduction of a vaccine against meningococcal infection.
The vaccine should be injected to people who have had contact with the infected person (such patients should drink “Rifampicin”); tourists (especially those who have been in China and Africa for a long time); students who live in dormitories; workers in factories producing aerosols; in barracks and in collectives from one year to eight years.
There are two types of meningococcal infection vaccines:
- Polysaccharide injections do not act on all forms of meningococci, but are common in treatment.
- The second type of injection is conjugated. It destroys all dangerous bacteria and does not harm the immune system. Has the most positive reviews among mothers. And doctors recommend administering it to a child under two years old.
9 out of 10 vaccinated receive protection against meningococcal infection. The acquisition of immunity to this disease takes about a week. In the future, the vaccine is valid from 3 to 5 years.
Protection even in the event of an epidemic will be provided by conjugated injection. Get revaccinated every three years. If your child goes to the garden or lives in a dormitory, then putting the vaccine is extremely necessary.
Contraindications to vaccination:
- The disease is moderate or severe. In this case, it is worth the wait until the patient recovers completely.
- An acute or chronic form of meningococcal infection.
- The presence of an allergy to the vaccine.
Weakness, fever, and pain at the vaccination site are all normal vaccine effects. In some cases, urticaria, asthma attacks, and pallor may occur. But all these symptoms disappear over time.
Komarovsky said about meningococcal infection that vaccination against it goes without consequences.
After vaccination, even in case of infection, you will suffer the disease in a milder form. Doctors say that you should not refuse a vaccine, as the child will be threatened not only by meningitis, but also all subsequent complications. Remember that immunity should always be kept in good shape, therefore, refusing the vaccine, weigh the pros and cons.
Non-specific forms of prevention include mainly clinical recommendations for meningococcal infection:
- Compliance with sanitary standards. In kindergartens, it is necessary to handle toys and cribs with disinfectants, carry out wet cleaning, and ventilate the room.
- Prevention of a large number of children in one room.
- When diagnosing meningococci bacteria, a garden (or school) should be quarantined. Children who are in the focus of meningococcal infection are not admitted to camps and other children's health centers. Similarly, staff are not allowed to transfer to other groups or classes.
- During the quarantine period, the outbreak establishes medical monitoring of the condition of other children.
- In case of any suspicion of meningococcal infection, medical workers of institutions should notify the sanitary and epidemiological surveillance authorities within two hours. Repeated notification must be done after 12 hours and the exact diagnosis of the patient should be announced.
- Airing of rooms in offices.
A more detailed set of rules can be found in Sanping on meningococcal infection.
Historical reference
It is known that at the beginning of our era or, for example, the Middle Ages, they knew little about disinfection. Therefore, it was at that time that there were frequent outbreaks of infections. For example, meningitis was studied in 1805 after mass infection. And already in 1965, the World Health Assembly introduced the term "meningococcal infection" - this was the beginning of the study of this disease.
The virus itself spreads anywhere in our planet. But the "meningococcal belt" are the countries of Africa (especially the equatorial regions). For example, Sudan, Nigeria, Chad and others. There are 200-500 patients per 100,000 people.
And in our country there were outbreaks of this terrible disease. The highest level of patients was recorded in 1976. The result is as follows: 9.6 patients per 100,000 healthy population). But it is worth noting that now in Russia there is a rather high level of diseases: 5-5.5 per 10,000 healthy.
After 1976, a group of Russian scientists (Pokrovsky, Vlasov, Ivanov, Lobzin, Timin, Favrov and others) conducted many studies on the study of meningococci. It was their experience that improved the treatment system. In subsequent years, the mortality rate decreased with generalized forms of treatment.
What they say about MKI
There are many reviews of meningococcal infections in children on the Internet. Parents are extremely concerned about the lack of disease prevention in kindergartens and schools, as well as the incompetence of doctors who make the wrong diagnosis, putting the child’s life in danger.
There are many descriptions of the course of the disease with a fatal outcome, which further “fuels” anxiety, both of married couples with young children, and of the adult population. After all, the incubation period is too short for a meningococcal infection, that is, the interval between the first signs of the disease and deadly complications.
Who would have thought that such a terrible disease could be hiding behind the usual signs of SARS. This is precisely what is misleading, both for parents who, out of habit, are trying to bring down the temperature of the baby and wait for what will happen next, and for emergency doctors. It is necessary to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms: rash, intermittent breathing, heart palpitations and others.
Keep track of your children. Do not take them to rooms where there is a large concentration of adults, as they are the main carriers of meningococcus. Examine Sanpin carefully for meningococcal infections. Pay attention to the environment in the kindergarten or school where your child goes. The disease spreads very quickly throughout the body and counts every hour. Also, don't forget the clinical guidelines for meningococcal infection. Get vaccinated, keep your premises clean, consult your doctor at the right time. And in no case do not self-medicate.
What do people say about vaccines against meningococcal infection?
As many parents note, the vaccine Meningo A + C is most often used. This vaccine is a polysaccharide, but in its composition has only certain meningococcal cells, and not the bacterium itself. The plus of this vaccine is its easy adaptation inside the body, without subsequent diseases. The medicine is widely distributed in the foci of the epidemic (for example, in Africa).
The vaccine can be administered from two years, but in the presence of a patient in the family, from three months. The immunity will protect the body up to 10 years. Further re-vaccination is required.
Many mothers say that their children have passed the vaccination very easily. Doctors informed them that this medicine protects against meningococci, but there are no other bacteria that can cause meningitis. You can earn meningitis during chickenpox, flu, measles, etc. But the fact that you can get it due to the lack of a hat on your head in winter turned out to be a myth. For this, only the microbe itself is needed.
Doctors in turn, they write that almost every person in his life meets with meningococcus. But very rarely, it can cause even a simple runny nose. The fact is that by the age of five, a child develops complete immunity to this disease. Therefore, to get it, there must be at least one patient in the family. In other cases, meningococcal infection bypasses.
It is worth noting that the Meningo A + C vaccine protects a person only from type A and C infections. These are the two most common types that are found in Asia, Africa and Europe. However, a type B infection lives in Russia, and there are no drugs against it yet. Therefore, the Meningo A + C vaccine will be useful only if you intend to travel to countries where there were epidemics of MKI.
In the case of Russia, the vaccine is made individually. It all depends on the region of residence, the threat of infection, proximity to areas of the epidemic, etc. Usually, children are immediately given a vaccination complex. What was said above about vaccination against meningococcal infection, Komarovsky confirms: most children tolerate it well.