Journalism of Courage
World Meningitis Day will be observed on April 24 – and the focus will be on understanding more about the disease and its treatment
Pediatricians in the city have drawn the attention of parents to a little-known but dangerous disease on the occasion of the World Meningitis Day on April 24. The World Meningitis Day is sponsored by the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations which brings together associations from all over the world dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of meningitis and the benefits of vaccination in preventing avoidable deaths from this disease. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain,caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Viral meningitis generally clears up without requiring specific treatment. Bacterial meningitis is a far more serious infection that can cause severe brain damage and,if untreated,can lead to death in half of all cases.
In the early stages of meningitis,these symptoms can be mistaken for less severe diseases,thereby delaying diagnosis and treatment. The consequences of delayed treatment can be profound,increasing the risk of complications. Vaccines are available in India to protect those at risk against certain types of bacterial meningitis like ‘Haemophilus influenza type b’ (Hib). However,since the introduction of Hib vaccine,meningitis due to these bacteria is now uncommon in developed countries.
A strain (serotype) of the pneumococcal bacteria called 19 A has become a leading cause of disease in Europe and the US,and is now present in Asia. Strain ’19 A’ is increasingly becoming resistant to commonly used antibiotics. A recent study has shown high incidence of ’19 A’ in India too.
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine launched last year in India can protect children from 13 strains of the pneumococcal bacteria that can cause pneumococcal meningitis,including ’19 A’. However,there is still no vaccine to protect against all bacteria that cause meningitis,especially Meningitis B. Ongoing research is evaluating new approaches to vaccine development with the hope of providing protection against meningitis B infection.
