Meningococcal Disease Treatment, Complications,Prevention,and Re-Infection

Treatment

Doctors treat meningococcal disease with a number of antibiotics. It is important that treatment start as soon as possible. If a doctor suspects meningococcal disease, they will give the patient antibiotics right away. Antibiotics help reduce the risk of dying.

Depending on how serious the infection is, people with meningococcal disease may need other treatments, including:

• Breathing support
• Medications to treat low blood pressure
• Surgery to remove dead tissue
• Wound care for parts of the body with damaged skin

Complications

Even with antibiotic treatment, 10 to 15 in 100 people infected with meningococcal disease will die. Up to 1 in 5 survivors will have long-term disabilities, such as loss of limb(s), deafness, nervous system problems, or brain damage.

Prevention

Keeping up to date with recommended vaccines is the best defense against meningococcal disease. Maintaining healthy habits, like getting plenty of rest and not having close contact with people who are sick, also helps.

Vaccination

Vaccine help protect against all three serogroups (B, C, and Y) of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria most commonly seen in the United States. Like with any vaccine, meningococcal vaccines are not 100% effective. This means there is still a chance you can develop meningococcal disease after vaccination. People should know the symptoms of meningococcal disease since early recognition and quick medical attention are extremely important.

Antibiotics

Close contacts of a person with meningococcal disease should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting sick. Experts call this prophylaxis (pro-fuh-lak-sis). Examples of close contacts include:

• People in the same household
• Roommates
• Anyone with direct contact with a patient’s oral secretions (saliva or spit), such as a boyfriend or girlfriend

Doctors or local health departments recommend who should get prophylaxis.

Re-Infection

If you get meningococcal disease twice, your doctor should check to see if you have an underlying immune deficiency.

Although rare, people can get meningococcal disease more than once. A previous infection will not offer lifelong protection from future infections. Therefore, CDC recommends meningococcal vaccines for all preteens and teens. In certain situations, children and adults should also get meningococcal vaccines.

credit/source: https://www.cdce-Infection.gov/meningococcal/about/prevention.html

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