Fever, headache... This disease has symptoms similar to a cold, but can be fatal in severe cases! How to prevent it scientifically?

Recently, the news that two students from a middle school in Xining, Qinghai died one after another due to meningitis attracted the attention of netizens.

The full name of meningococcal meningitis is epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, which is an acute purulent cerebrospinal meningitis caused by infection with Neisseria meningitidis (also known as meningococcus). It is also a major disease recognized by the world as a life-threatening disease. It is common in children aged 0-5 years. The pathogenic bacteria colonize in the nasopharynx, invade the blood circulation, form sepsis, and finally confine to the meninges and spinal cord membranes, forming purulent cerebrospinal meningitis. It is sporadic or prevalent in small areas around the world, but it can also be prevalent or outbreak in large scale.

Early symptoms are similar to those of a cold, so don't take it lightly

Meningococcal meningitis is a Class B infectious disease as defined in the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases. Since its early symptoms are similar to those of a cold, it is difficult to diagnose. After infection with meningococcal meningitis, the main clinical manifestations include acute fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, photophobia, skin ecchymosis, etc.

When young infants and young children are infected with meningococcal meningitis, the condition is generally more serious, and is often manifested by sleep disturbance, sudden screaming, staring blankly, and even whole-body convulsions.

The “rapid and brutal” nature of meningococcal disease

The reason why many people think that meningococcal meningitis is "brutal" is that it has a high misdiagnosis rate, a high mortality rate, and a high disability rate. Fulminant meningococcal meningitis progresses rapidly and has a high mortality rate. If not treated in time, the patient often dies within 24 hours.

Even with effective antibiotics and improved care, there is still a 10% to 15% mortality rate, and 10% to 20% of survivors suffer serious sequelae, such as hearing loss, nerve damage, or limb loss.

Although meningococcal disease is dangerous, it is preventable and controllable

The sources of infection of meningococcal meningitis include healthy carriers and patients with meningococcal meningitis . After being infected, susceptible people may become carriers, and the population carrier rate during the epidemic period is as high as 25%-50%. People who carry meningococcal meningitis bacteria may spread the infection through respiratory droplets and close contact in daily life, such as coughing, sneezing, kissing, etc.

People of all age groups are generally susceptible, especially those under 15 years old, especially infants aged 6 months to 2 years.

Vaccination against meningococcal meningitis is the best health protection for children. At present, there are both free national immunization program vaccines and voluntary non-immunization program vaccine options.

1. Free meningococcal vaccine

According to the "National Immunization Program Vaccine Child Immunization Program and Instructions (2021 Edition)", children of appropriate age are vaccinated with group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine at 6 and 9 months of age, and booster vaccinations with group A+C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine at 3 and 6 years of age. Both are free vaccines in the immunization program. Vaccination route: subcutaneous injection. Principles of booster vaccination: For children of appropriate age born after the inclusion of meningococcal vaccine in the immunization program, if they have not received the meningococcal vaccine or have not completed the prescribed doses, the type of meningococcal vaccine should be selected according to their age at the time of booster vaccination:

(1) Children under 24 months of age should complete the doses of group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine. Children aged 24 months or older do not need to receive the group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine, but still need to complete two doses of group A+C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

(2) Children aged 24 months or older who have not received group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine can receive group A+C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine as early as possible before the age of 3. If they have received one dose of group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine, they should receive group A+C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine as early as possible after an interval of no less than 3 months.

2. Non-immunization program vaccines that are administered voluntarily and at one’s own expense

There are currently many types, namely AC conjugate vaccine, ACYW135 group meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine, and ACYW135 group meningococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine. Parents can choose to vaccinate their children with informed consent and voluntary payment. The starting age and dosage of different products can be found in the vaccine instructions.

(1) For children under 24 months of age, if they have received the prescribed number of doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine according to the instructions, they can be considered to have completed the vaccination with group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

(2) If a child has been vaccinated with a vaccine containing group A and group C meningococcal vaccines at the age of 3 and 6, it can be considered that the child has completed the corresponding doses of A+C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

3. Daily protection

In addition to vaccination, it is also important to develop good living and hygiene habits.

It is recommended to maintain good environmental hygiene, wash hands frequently, keep indoor ventilation, and avoid going to crowded and poorly ventilated places during the epidemic season of meningococcal meningitis.

Strengthen physical exercise, eat a balanced diet, go to bed early and get up early to improve the body's resistance to disease.

If you experience suspected symptoms of meningococcal disease, such as sudden high fever, severe pain, frequent vomiting, and petechiae on the skin and mucous membranes, you should seek medical attention promptly. Early standardized treatment can alleviate symptoms and avoid serious health damage.

Comprehensive sources: China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xinhuanet, etc.