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Contagious Risk
South Australia Health reported that a six-month-old baby from Adelaide could have been infected from a rare meningococcal strain. The baby is one of the four cases of invasive meningococcal disease identified by the health department this year. There were about 15 people who have been in close contact with the baby are now completing […]
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Sydney Cases
Two teens were confirmed to have the potentially life-threatening disease, meningococcal infection. The Northern Sydney Local Health District is urging people to be alert & recognize the signs & symptoms of the disease because it can often mimic other common illnesses. Meningococcal meningitis can be spread by secretions from the nose and throat of a […]
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Best Defense
The 16 Vaccine awareness initiative educates parents of teens about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended second dose of MenACWY at age 16. Teens are at increased risk due to common lifestyle factors or behaviors among their age group, such as living in close quarters and socializing in crowded environments. Vaccination is […]
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Hot tub
Lauren Briggs, 25 years old, developed a life-threatening case of meningococcal meningitis (septicemia) after spending an evening with a group of people in her friend’s hot tub in Essex. Her right leg below the knee and the toes on her left foot were amputated, leaving her wheelchair-bound until she can learn to use a prosthesis. […]
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Take Action!
World Meningitis day is on April 24 & the theme is Take Action # Defeat Meningitis! Greater awareness and education is important so people can take preventative actions & protect their loved ones. Sunday Times Connect in partnership with Sanofi Pasteur has an online event on meningococcal meningitis. This disease is a medical emergency and […]
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Misdiagnosis
Lily Teale, 10 months old was taken to the same-day health clinic for fever, vomiting and diarrhea. A doctor dismissed the baby’s symptoms as a stomach bug. But hours later, Lily was rushed to hospital after her lips turned blue and she became unresponsive. She was tragically pronounced dead at 10pm on the same day […]
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Defense Mechanism
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered a mechanism through which meningitis-causing bacteria can evade the immune system. One of the signs of an infection is elevated temperatures or fever, which typically boost our immune system‘s ability to fight illness. In the study, researchers found that two meningitis bacteria – Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae […]
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Fighting for her life
A South Australian 21- year old woman became infected with meningococcal meningitis & is fighting for her life. The Adelaide woman is in intensive care unit & the serogroup has yet to be identified. SA Health reported 2 cases so far of invasive meningococcal disease this year. Watch for symptoms & get help immediately if […]
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World Meningitis Day
World Meningitis Day on April 24 and World Immunization Awareness Week, which starts on the same day and runs through April 30, remind parents about vaccines available to protect their loved ones from meningitis and other vaccine-preventable illnesses. Jamie Schanbaum, who survived bacterial meningitis in her sophomore year at The University of Texas at Austin, […]
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Champion Passes
Nick Springer, 35 years old, contracted Meningococcal Meningitis at age 14 died suddenly on April 14. Nick had both legs amputated above the knees and both arms to mid-forearm. He began playing sled hockey before he was fully finished with rehab, and at age 16, segued into Quadriplegic Wheelchair Rugby (“Murderball”) which brought him five international […]
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