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Meningococcal Disease
What is meningococcal disease?
What are the signs and symptoms?
How is the spread of meningococcal disease prevented?
For how long are infected people contagious?
Who is considered to be a close contact?
What happens when someone is a close contact?
About the vaccine...
What is meningococcal disease?
Neisseria meningitidis is the name of the germ or bacteria that causes meningococcal meningitis, which is inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. This bacteria may also cause meningococcemia which is a serious form of blood poisoning.
These two conditions are commonly called meningococcal disease. Meningococcal meningitis is more common in older children and adults. Meningococcemia is more common in infants. Every year there are about 400 cases of meningococcal disease in Canada. It can cause death in up to 10 per cent of cases.
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What are the signs and symptoms?
Someone with meningococcal disease will become very sick. It may take one or two days for meningococcal disease to develop or it can take a matter of hours.
Symptoms of meningococcal disease may include the following:
- a severe headache;
- high fever;
- vomiting;
- sensitivity to bright lights;
- neck stiffness and joint pains;
- irritability;
- drowsiness, confusion or coma;
- a rash of tiny, red-purple spots or bruises that may occur anywhere on the body.
Babies with meningococcal disease may:
- be difficult to wake;
- have a high fever;
- be fussy or irritable and cry more than normal;
- have a loss of appetite;
- be vomiting;
- have a high pitched cry or be moaning;
- have pale or blotchy skin;
- a rash of tiny, red-purple spots or bruises that may occur anywhere on the body.
Should you have these symptoms call your family doctor or go immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.
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How is the spread of meningococcal disease prevented?
The germ that causes meningococcal disease lives naturally in the back of the nose and throat. But, it does not live for long outside the body.
Up to 25 per cent of the general public carry this germ at any given time. However, most will never develop meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal disease is spread when people cough, sneeze or kiss. It can also be spread through saliva (spit) of an infected person when sharing items such as:
- cigarettes;
- lipstick;
- food or beverages;
- cups, water bottles, cans, drinking straws,etc.
- toothbrushes;
- mouth guards;
- musical instruments with mouthpieces.
In general, people should not share anything that has been in their mouth.
Other steps to prevent the spread of meningococcal disease include hand washing, covering one's mouth when coughing or sneezing. Any used tissue should be thrown into a garbage can immediately.
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For how long are infected people contagious?
A sick person can spread the disease up to 7 days before symptoms begin, while ill, and until one day after treatment begins. To prevent infection, a close contact of someone who is ill with meningococcal disease should be treated with antibiotics. Close contacts should watch for any symptoms of the disease and see a doctor immediately if any symptoms develop.
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Who is considered to be a close contact?
A close contact is someone who is likely to have had direct contact with the saliva (spit) or mucous, from either the nose or throat, of an infected person.
Close contacts include the following:
- those who have kissed the infected person;
- those living in the same house;
- those who share a bed;
- children in the same day care or nursery because they tend to put objects in their mouths;
- those who share drinks, cigarettes, water bottles, dishes, lipstick, toothbrushes, musical instruments with mouthpieces, mouth guards, food or beverages. In general, anything that has been in contact with the mouth of an infected person.
Classroom and workplace contacts are not considered to be close contacts unless they have participated in any of the above activities.
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What happens when someone is a close contact?
Close contacts may be given an antibiotic to prevent meningococcal disease. Close contacts may also be given a meningococcal vaccine.
About the vaccine....
There are two types of meningococcal vaccine available in Canada. They each protect people against different strains (types) of the bacteria that causes meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal vaccine:
- Is recommended for routine childhood immunization
- Is recommended for immunization of children 1-4 years of age and for adolescents and young adults
- Is recommended for those with medical conditions that put them at high risk of meningococcal disease.
- Is recommended for travellers to countries where there is a lot of meningococcal disease.
- Is recommended for military recruits and may be considered for other groups or institutions where there is an increased risk of disease
- May be used for close contacts of a case of meningococcal disease to prevent further spread
- May be used when an outbreak of meningococcal disease occurs in a community setting to prevent further spread.
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