Illness that strikes fear into mums and dads
WHAT IS MENINGITIS? Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, membranes around the brain. It causes the brain to swell, can lead to multiple organ failure and possible death. But meningitis is only one type of infection caused by meningococcal bacteria. Sometimes – as in the tragic case of Faye Burdett – the bacteria cause septicaemia (infection of the blood) as well.
HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF THE DISEASE ARE THERE? Septicaemia and meningitis can be caused by bacteria. Meningitis can also be caused by viruses but the bacterial version is far more deadly. There are six subtypes of the Meningococcus bacteria which cause it: A,B, C, W, Y and Z.
In Britain the biggest problem has been with Band C, but W is now rising fast.
WHICH ARE THE KEY SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR IN DIAGNOSING MENINGITIS AND SEPTICAEMIA? In the first few hours the main symptoms are fever, vomiting and irritability. This means it can easily be mistaken for other – less deadly – diseases.
The first symptoms specific to meningitis are pallor, cold hands and feet, mottling of the skin and pains in the limbs and feet.
The tell-tale rash occurs in children an average of 8 hours after the disease starts. It can be any colour, such as red, brown, pink, or even white patches.
HOW DO YOU GET IT? IS IT CONTAGIOUS? Meningitis is an infectious disease, usually you have to be in very close or regular contact with someone for the bacterium to spread. Even when this happens, most of us will not become ill because we have natural immunity. The bacteria cannot live longer than a few moments outside the human body, so are not carried on items like clothes or toys.
ARE YOUNG CHILDREN PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE? Babies and young children are especially likely to contract meningitis - mainly type B - because their immune systems are not fully developed. However, half of the 3,200 cases of bacterial meningitis a year are in people over 15. Teenagers between 15 and 19 are also especially susceptible - particularly type W - but we don’t know why.
If babies and the over 65s contract it they are five times as likely to die. The symptoms take l onger to develop in adults, with the result they are often mistaken for other diseases.
HOW LIKELY AM I TO GET IT? There are three cases for every 100,000 people in the UK. In the case of bacterial meningitis one in 10 sufferers will die, and one in three will suffer permanent effects which could include amputation, disfigurement or memory loss.
ARE WE CLOSE TO DEFEATING IT? Deaths are reported to be falling. But while the incidence of most forms of meningitis is decreasing, cases of Meningococcal W are rising rapidly. In 2008/09, it accounted for only 1-2 per cent of all meningitis cases. By 2013/14 that had risen to 15 per cent. With a death rate of 13 per cent it is more deadly than other versions.
DO VACCINES COMPLETELY REMOVE THE RISK? WHY ISN’T EVERYONE VACCINATED? There is no single vaccine which protects against all forms of meningitis. There is one vaccine which protects against A,C, W and Y types, which is given to teenagers.
Until recently there was no vaccine against Meningococcal B (MenB), the most common strain of the disease. One has now been developed but as yet is only being given to babies born since last June.
Vaccines are expensive and so are targeted at the most vulnerable groups.
HOW MANY DEATHS AND CASES MIGHT BE PREVENTED IF THE MENB VACCINE WAS GIVEN TO ALL CHILDREN? There are around 100 deaths of children a year. I am very pro-vaccination and it needs to be extended to older children at some point, but because it is a new vaccine we need to be able to study its effects first so we don’t make the wrong decisions.
SHOULD I CONSIDER A PRIVATE JAB? HOW MUCH WOULD THAT COST? You are very unlikely to contract meningitis if you are outside the high risk groups. However private jabs costs about £75 - £100 a dose. You will need different jabs for different strains of the disease.
IS THERE A WAY TO TEST MY CHILD? The jam jar test is a good way of identifying a rash: you roll an empty glass or jam jar over the skin and if the rash does not disappear while the pressure is being applied it could be a sign of meningitis/septicaemia. If the rash remains it is not definitely meningitis but certainly seek immediate medical attention.
It is important to repeat the test as the rash develops.
After the rash, the next symptoms depend on whether the patient has scepticaemia or meningitis. If the former, the heart will beat fast, blood pressure will drop and the patient will stop producing urine. If it’s meningitis, they’ll become drowsy and may develop seizures.
One of the big problems in diagnosing septicaemia is that children are still able to talk as the symptoms progress. Parents and doctors can be reassured by this, and so miss vital symptoms.