What is Meningococcemia?

CEBU, Philippines - Meningococcemia is a bloodstream infection caused by a highly contagious bacterium that is spread from person to person via respiratory secretions. Initial symptoms include fever, with the patient experiencing fatigue, headache and general body aches similar to those experienced by people with flu.

A rash  is often present, too. It appears like small red dots or a bleed into the skin. The rash may appear anywhere on the body, even on the palms or soles or inside the mouth. It may involve just a small section of the body or cover extensive areas. A careful physical examination of the skin and mucosal surfaces is very important

In addition, a fast heart rate and often a  low blood pressure are observed upon physical examination, including other signs of shock. Laboratory findings will show increased white blood cell counts and low platelet counts. The bacteria may spread to the heart, causing inflammation of the heart muscle. In severe cases, multiple organ systems may fail, including the kidneys, lungs and airways, liver, or heart.

Uncommonly, the bacterium may cause a low-grade bloodstream infection (called chronic meningococcemia) with fever, joint pain, and rash that lasts one to three weeks.

Meningococcemia patients are usually seriously ill. Once symptoms appear, the disease usually gets rapidly worse over several hours. As the symptoms worsen, shaking chills and high fever occur.

In a minority of cases, symptoms continue at a low-grade level for several days. Complications then result, including shock, failure of multiple organs, lack of circulation in the extremities, and then death.

Meningococcemia is alarming because it is more contagious than the other types of bloodstream infections. Although, early treatment – through intravenous antibiotics – often markedly reduces the risk of complications and death.

While meningococcemia has been reported in all age groups, the rate of infection is typically highest in older children and adolescents. A vaccine is available to help prevent four of the five types of the neisseria meningitidis bacterium. Such vaccine is recommended at 11 years of age, with a booster dose at 16 years of age.

Vaccination is also recommended for people at high risk of getting the infection, including those with a missing spleen or a specific type of defect in their immune system. Likewise, it is advisable that people travelling to areas where outbreaks are occurring be vaccinated before travel.

People who have had close contact with an infected patient (for example, a household member with face-to-face contact, a child’s playmate, etc.) should receive antibiotics to reduce the risk of disease. These “prophylactic” antibiotics should be started as soon as possible, certainly within two weeks of exposure.

Some people can harbor the neisseria meningitidis bacterium in their throats and not get sick, a case referred to as a “carrier” state. In others, the bacterium rapidly invades the tissues and bloodstream and cause meningococcemia.

(Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/meningococcemia/article.htm)(FREEMAN)