Parents warned of 20% rise in cases of meningitis

PARENTS have been warned not to be complacent in the battle against meningitis, as figures just released show a 20% increase in the disease in Cork and Kerry.

Statistics released by the Health Service Executive Southern Area show 26 confirmed cases up to November 1, compared to 22 for the comparable period in 2004.

Fortunately, there has been no death from meningitis this year, but there was one in 2004. There was an even spread of confirmed cases throughout both Cork city and county and Kerry.

In total, 28 cases were noted this year in the region, but two have been filed as unconfirmed. Out of the 26 cases confirmed, 25 were of the Group B strain and just one was Group C.

Dr Fiona Ryan, a public health service specialist in the region, said the good news was that the Group C strain had been all but eradicated since the MenC vaccine for children was introduced in October 2000.

“Group C has dropped hugely but people shouldn’t become complacent. The worry is that people will think Meningococcal disease is gone. Because the number of cases (of Group C) has decreased so greatly, people mightn’t be so aware,” Dr Ryan said.

She said the vaccine only protects against Group C Meningococcal disease which, along with Group B, is the most common strain in this country. There are other strains, but these are extremely rare here and are usually picked up by people when they’re abroad.

Up until the introduction of the MenC vaccine, Dr Ryan said about one-third of confirmed cases were of the Group C strain, while two-thirds were Group B.

Group C tends to affect teenagers more than the other group. Children are recommended to have the vaccine at two, four and six months old.

“The fact that there has been no death this year (from meningitis) is also good news,” Dr Ryan said.

She recommends that parents visiting clinics take home a leaflet detailing the disease so that if their children develop the symptoms, they are quickly recognisable and emergency treatment can be sought at the earliest possible stage.

Meningitis means inflammation of the brain lining. It can be caused by several different bacteria and viruses. Viral meningitis is generally more common than bacterial meningitis but less serious.

The organisms that cause bacterial meningitis are very common and live naturally in the back of the nose and throat, or the upper respiratory tract. The incubation period is between two and 10 days. People of any age can carry the germs for days, weeks or months without becoming ill. Only rarely do the bacteria overcome the body’s defences and cause meningitis.

The bacteria are spread between people coughing, sneezing and kissing. They cannot survive long outside the body and cannot be picked up from water supplies, swimming pools, buildings or factories.