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What is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria known as Neisseria meningitidis. About 0-1 cases occur in Grey Bruce each year.

Many people carry the bacteria in their throat or nose without feeling sick. In rare cases, the bacteria overcome the body’s natural defences and cause serious diseases including meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain) and septicemia (widespread infection of the blood and organs).

The time between contact with the bacteria and start of symptoms is usually 3-4 days, but may be from 2-10 days.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can vary, but include sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, vomiting, stiff neck and a rash. Some may also be sensitive to light, sleepy, confused or lapse into a coma. Babies may have vomiting, a high fever, lose their appetite, be irritable or difficult to wake, and may also develop a red pin point rash.

How it is spread?

The disease is spread by direct contact with mucus or saliva from the nose and throat of an infected person. The disease can be spread up to 7 days before symptoms begin and until one day after treatment begins.

To prevent spread, avoid sharing objects that have come in contact with another person’s mouth. These items include food and drinks, mouth guards, water bottles, toothbrushes and lipstick. It is important to practise good hand washing and to cover coughs and sneezes.

What is the treatment?

Antibiotics and early medical attention are important. Lab tests confirm the diagnosis.

Are antibiotics used to prevent illness?

Antibiotics are usually recommended for household and close contacts that have had direct contact with the saliva or mucus of the infected person within 7 days prior to the illness.

Close contacts include those living in the same house and those who attend daycare or nursery school with the infected person. Casual contacts, such as classmates and co-workers may not need preventative antibiotics.

Health care workers are considered close contacts only if they have had intensive, unprotected contact with an infected patient (e.g. intubating, resuscitating or closely examining the oropharynx).

Is there a vaccine?

There are vaccines to protect against some strains of meningococcal disease.

Vaccination is recommended for certain high risk groups including:

• unimmunized household and intimate social contacts of a person diagnosed with meningococcal disease (depending on the strain)

• those with disorders of the spleen

• those with complement, properdin or factor D deficiency

• military personnel

• people travelling to countries where there is a high rate of this disease

Vaccination is also used during outbreaks to prevent further spread of disease.

Routinely, children are given a vaccine (Men-C) at 12 months of age that protects them against the C strain of meningococcal disease. Since 2005, grade 7 students and adolescents 15 to 19 years of age have also been offered vaccination with Men-C vaccine. Now there is a vaccine (Men-ACWY) that protects against four strains of meningococcal bacteria. For broader protection, Men-ACWY will now be offered yearly to all grade 7 students beginning 2009 - 2010 in place of the Men-C vaccine.

For more information, call Public Health at 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456.