Meningococcemia killed boy, DOH confirms

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health-Central Visayas yesterday confirmed that it was really meningo-coccemia that killed the two-year-old boy from Mandaue City after laboratory examination that included blood sample culturing and analysis.

“It’s positive that the boy died of meningococcemia,” DOH-7 director Susana Madarieta said. But she added there is no cause for alarm and it is an isolated case.

“There is no need to worry, though, because every year, there is an average of three to five persons who contract meningococcemia,” said Madarieta.

Last Nov. 2, the boy was taken to the private hospital and died the following day. Investigation by the health official of Mandaue City revealed the boy died of meningococcemia.

The DOH is also waiting for the results of laboratory examinations of another possible meningococcemia case in Dumanjug.

As a precaution, Madarieta said that they have already given antibiotics to the family, relatives and neighbors of the boy in Mandaue City and the patient in Dumanjug.

Madarieta said medical personnel will be monitoring the health of the family and neighbors of the patients for the next few days but so far no report has reached their office.

The disease is also called meningococcal meningitis or cerebrospinal fever. It is characterized by a sudden onset of high fever lasting for 24 hours. Other signs and symptoms are rashes appearing within 24 hours after the onset of fever and signs of meningeal irritation such as headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, bulging fontanel (among infants), seizure or convulsions and sensorial changes.

One of the clear symptoms of meningo-coccemia is the manifestation of red spotting all over the patient’s body, said Madarieta.

Within two days, the patient could die if not given immediate medical attention.

In some patients with meningococcemia, the bacteria attacks the brain resulting in meningitis that manifest as headache, stiffness of the neck, vomiting and various other nervous system signs and symptoms. – (FREEMAN)