In 2008, the associations that are part of the “” decided to create World Meningitis Day with the aim of dedicating a day to raising awareness about this disease, and to do so worldwide.
It was a step to achieve a fundamental objective that they imposed themselves, together with the WHO, and that they baptized as “”.
It was about designing a global roadmap to move towards a world without meningitis.
Of course we cannot be deceived. Meningitis has many different causes and we know that there will not be a world without meningitis because it cannot be eliminated or eradicated. But as the document published by the WHO says:
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“We are determined to get as close to that goal as possible”
And for this they established 3 objectives:
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Eliminate epidemics of bacterial meningitis
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Reduce the number of cases of preventable bacterial meningitis by 50% through vaccination, and reduce deaths by 70%
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Reduce disability and improve quality of life after meningitis
And although a year ago they decided from the original April 24 to October 5, this year we are going to keep this disease in mind on both dates (now and in 6 months), due to the importance of awareness and because current data does not they are the best for hope.
In addition, from today until the 30th, the WHO organizes the ”
The number one cause of death from infection in children, and getting worse
Meningitis is a disease caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi, which cause inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain (meninges) and spinal cord.
According to data from:
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Every year about 1,000 cases of meningitis are reported in Spain, of which 10% are very serious. Cases that can cause death or leave very serious sequelae to the patient.
In fact, this pathology is the first cause of death due to infection in children, and meningococcal meningitis is the one that causes the highest mortality.
How do you explain the Dr. Marta GuillanSecretary of the SEN Critical and Intensive Neurology Study Group:
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“The vast majority of meningitis are caused by viruses, but those caused by bacteria and fungi are usually the most serious,”
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“In Spain, the digestive viruses (enterovirus) and those of the , are the ones that are most frequently behind most cases of viral meningitis; while pneumococci and meningococci are the most common causes of bacterial meningitis”, he adds.
Fortunately, in our country the number of cases detected each year is not worrisome. But it is the fact that since 2014 we have been observing an upward trend, mainly due to an increase in cases of meningococcal meningitis due to serogroups W and Y.
And although we have had three years of drastic decrease in cases thanks to the protection measures against COVID-19, the end of the pandemic, of masks, of distances and of less attention to hand hygiene, has caused a rebound of the registered cases.
“The vast majority of agents that cause meningitis are transmitted through the respiratory route. Therefore, minimizing close contact between people, using masks, increasing hand hygiene, etc., are measures that also reduced cases of meningitis,” says the specialist.
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“Once we have relaxed in the hygienic measures acquired in the pandemic, we are once again seeing how cases of meningitis grow.”
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“In the last epidemic season there has been a 10% increase in cases of bacterial meningitis.”
Despite these data, Dr. Guillan is confident “that the systematic vaccination of children, and more so with the recent incorporation of the vaccine against meningococcus B in the autonomous community, will mitigate this growing trend.”
The importance of vaccination
Currently, the best prevention against meningitis is still vaccination. For this reason, the SEN wants to insist on the importance of following the recommendations of the common vaccination schedule throughout life.
In addition, the SEN, together with different medical associations, is trying to promote the achievement of a single vaccination schedule in all communities to ensure equity in the prevention of the disease since, as Dr. Marta Guillán comments
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“We estimate that around 20% of the population may carry some of the bacteria that cause the most serious meningitis. And although the vast majority of these people will not develop the disease, they can transmit it to other more vulnerable and/or predisposed people”.
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“The groups at greatest risk are children under 5 years of age and young people between 15 and 24 years of age, as well as people who have a disease that compromises their immune system or who live in crowded or community settings.”
But this expert insists that “any healthy person, and especially if they are not vaccinated, can contract meningitis.”
Main complications of meningitis
Although in 90% of cases the disease is mild, in the remaining percentage the complications and sequelae of meningitis can be very serious.
“Depending on the severity and extent of the infection, the range of complications and sequelae that meningitis can cause is very wide, although the most common are motor and intellectual deficits, deafness, and epilepsy,” explains Guillán.
“And if sepsis also occurs, that is, the infection passes into the bloodstream, numerous vascular problems, organ failure or gangrene can occur that will lead to the need for surgical interventions,” he adds.
“We are, therefore, before a very serious disease that can leave sequelae for life. Therefore, it is a medical emergency in which early diagnosis and treatment is key to avoiding sequelae and associated mortality,” he concludes.
You have to know how to identify the symptoms of the disease
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