Meningococcal meningitis is a infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. A range of antibiotics and vaccines has reduced the devastating consequences it can cause. More medicines will follow.
Disease: Meningococcal Meningitis
Last update: June 2006
Intro
FAQ
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What is it?
Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial infection of the lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It can cause devastating brain damage, hearing loss or learning disability. It is also the most common infectious cause of death in children in the Western world.
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Who gets it?
The disease most commonly affects children aged between three years and adolescence. There are about 6,000 cases a year in Europe. It rarely occurs in individuals older than 50 years.
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What can be done about it?
There are several vaccines available to help prevent the disease. Vaccines against strains prevalent in Africa, were rapidly prepared by the pharmaceutical industry. Meningococcal meningitis is treated effectively with a number of different antibiotics. Appropriate antibiotic treatment reduces the risk of dying to below 15 per cent. Close contacts of a patient should receive also antibiotics for prevention of the disease.
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What does the future hold?
The existing vaccines are being developed further, with the aim of making them more effective and easier to administer. Research programmes continue to develop novel vaccines to broaden protection.