Meningococcal disease

Over the last decade, monumental advances in the medical field have taken place, resulting in prompt recognition and management of many diseases. Despite this, meningococcal disease remains one of the leading causes of death in children and young people worldwide (Dowson, 2014). With its rapid onset and serious nature, meningococcal septicaemia affects up to 0.95% of the western world’s population each year making it essential for health professionals to understand the pathophysiology, recognition and treatment of this deadly disease in the prehospital setting. This essay will be divided into two parts: the first will examine the prehospital management of an unconscious patient presenting with advanced meningococcal septicaemia; the second will analyse the use of different pharmacological agents and intravenous fluids in a patient with this disease. Pathophysiology and management Meningococcal comes in two…

Disease Research Project Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) Dawn Braud Microbiology 2104 Spring 2017 Causative Agent: Neisseria meningitidis Disease: Meningococcus Classification of the causative agent: Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus, is a fastidious, encapsulated, aerobic gram-negative (very little or no peptidoglycan in the cell wall), diplococcus bacterium with a polysac-charide capsule. N. meningitidis is the cause of meningococcal meningitis infections that have a…

The disease caused either by virus, bacteria, or prion that I chose is Meningococcal disease. This is also called meningococcal meningitis in its worse or extreme cases. A specific form of bacteria causes this specific disease. This pathogen that causes the disease is called the bacterium meningococcus, which is also known as Neisseria meningitidis. In children and teens, meningococcus is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. In adults, it is the second most common cause. For this…

illness: Meningococcal Meningitis, which occurs when the meninges become infected and swell; and Meningococcal Septicemia, occurs when the bacteria multiply in the bloodstream causing damage to the blood vessels, causing internal bleeding. Septicemia is the more serious form. Individuals at risk include people in daycare, cellmates, housemates, and especially those with a compromised immune system. There is no cure, however, if diagnosed early, a swift and powerful course of antibiotics can…

When someone is infected with brain pox the disease goes directly to the brain and nervous system. The brain pox attacks these systems and takes control of the person. In the book the people that got infected were infected through the spores in the air. The spores can get into the body through the person’s eyes, nose and mouth. People who are around when someone goes into the final stages of brain pox are extremely at risk since it is transferred through the air. Even if you are not touching the…

8-15% of meningococcal meningitis (meningitis caused by N. menigitidis) are fatal Even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate treatment is started, 8% to 15% of patients die, often within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms. If untreated, meningococcal meningitis is fatal in 50% of cases and may result in brain damage, hearing loss or disability in 10% to 20% of survivors. How many people a year on average die from meningitis in America? The national meningitis association…

diagnosed a life-threatening disease from a sick patient. This patient is the first recorded carrier of an unknown disease, making the him/her patient zero. The symptoms recorded by the GP includes: severe headache, fever, fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to light, confusion, irritability, coughing, sneezing, blocked sinuses and neck stiffness. The GP notifies SA health of this life-threatening disease. Patient zero was sent to hospital for medical attention and treatment. Using the symptoms…

there have been vaccines that help protect against meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y (Meningitis ACWY) and, since late 2014, there are vaccines to help protect against meningococcal group B (Meningitis B). Currently there is a schedule for several age groups where the MCV4 vaccine, Hib, PCV13, PPSV23 and MCV are available. Approximately 600 – 1,000 people contract meningococcal disease in the U.S. each year of which 10-15 percent die. Those who survive (approximately 1 in 5) live with permanent…

Before the vaccine was introduced in 1978, meningococcal B, a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitides, was prevalent throughout the world, with a high mortality rate (around 50% if completely untreated). It often lead to further complications like septicaemia (blood poisoning), organ failure and death. Survivors lost limbs, eyesight and hearing, with reports of many experiencing seizures daily and mental retardation. The vaccine, administered via injection, contains…

Meningitis is a very debilitating, and sometimes deadly, disease (Bacterial 2015). This is because, as a disease, meningitis targets the brain and spinal cord (Bacterial 2015). Considering that these organs are very important for maintaining life, this disease is very debilitating. Meningitis occurs when the meninges, the covering of the brain and spinal cord, is inflamed (Bacterial 2015). Surprisingly, meningitis is hard to detect until after many of its symptoms have been displayed by the…