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Due to the high mortality rates and occurrence of sequelae, meningitis is considered a devastating disease by the World Health Organization (WHO). It continues to affect several places on the planet, with emphasis on the “Meningitis Belt” in Africa. In Brazil, the disease continues to circulate, and between 2007 and 2020, around 400,000 suspected cases were reported to the Ministry of Health.
With the aim of promoting awareness and prevention strategies against the disease, the WHO established April 24 as World Day to Combat Meningitis.
What is meningitis?
It is a condition of inflammation in the meninges, membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Therefore, according to pediatric infectious disease specialist Flávia Jaqueline Almeida, from Hospital Infantil Sabará, in São Paulo, it is a type of infection of the central nervous system.
What causes meningitis?
Meningitis can be caused by various microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. According to Flávia, however, the most common form of the disease is viral and the most serious, bacterial.
According to the Ministry of Health, meningitis can also be caused by inflammatory processes resulting from cancers that affect the meninges region, lupus, use of some drugs, head trauma and brain surgery.
How is it transmitted? As a rule, meningitis is transmitted from person to person, through contact with contaminated respiratory secretions, such as droplets from the nose and throat.
There is also the possibility of transmission through ingestion of contaminated water or food or feces, according to the Ministry of Health.
What are the symptoms?
The most characteristic symptoms of meningitis are fever, headache and stiff neck (a consequence of inflammation of the meninges). The patient may still experience malaise, nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and mental confusion and, in the most serious cases, convulsions, delirium and tremors, according to the Ministry of Health.
Furthermore, in meningococcal septicemia, a condition caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, the disease can also cause coldness in the feet and hands and pain in the muscles, joints, chest or belly, in addition to red spots on the body, according to the folder.
It is also important to highlight that, in babies and newborns, other symptoms often appear, such as irritation, lethargy, protruding fontanels and abnormal reflexes.
What are the risks of the disease? The condition is very serious, especially when caused by bacteria. In this circumstance, according to the WHO, one in six people ends up dying, while one in five is left with sequelae, such as deafness and cognitive disorders.
The entity warns that there are cases of bacterial meningitis that can lead to death within 24 hours.
What are the risk groups?
People of any age can contract meningitis, but, according to the specialist, children under 2 years of age are the most affected and tend to develop the most serious cases of the disease.
According to the WHO, there are also types of meningitis that are especially dangerous for different age groups, such as the elderly, adolescents and young adults.
Is there treatment?
Treatment varies depending on the microorganism causing the disease. In the case of meningitis caused by bacteria, treatment consists of the use of antibiotics – which should be done as soon as possible, according to the pediatric infectious disease specialist.
“In viral cases, which tend to be less serious, there are no specific medications to combat the disease, so we treat the symptoms”, he describes.
In any case, when meningitis is suspected, the patient should seek medical help as soon as possible.
How to prevent?
The main way to prevent meningitis is vaccination. The Ministry of Health provides five vaccines against the disease through the Unified Health System (SUS) – some for specific groups.
They are: the 10-valent pneumococcal vaccine (conjugated), the meningococcal C vaccine (conjugated) and BCG, available for children under 5 years old, in addition to the pentavalent vaccine, which also protects against other infections and is available for children up to 7 years old. , and meningococcal ACWY (conjugated), available for adolescents aged 11 to 14 years, depending on vaccination status.
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