Although the disease is not highly contagious, the Department of Health (DOH) warned

that meningococcal meningitis can kill in a matter of hours.

The DOH said that meningococcemia, caused by the neisseria meningitidis bacteria, can
spread through direct contact with discharges from the nose and throat.

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that a variety of
organisms, including different bacteria, fungi or viruses, can cause meningitis.
Meningococcemia can cause severe brain damage and is fatal in 50 percent of cases if
untreated.

Meningococcal disease has two common outcomes—meningitis and bloodstream

infection. The United Nations health agency says there are 12 types of n. meningitidis, six
of which can cause epidemics. Outside the human body, these fragile bacteria cannot
survive in natural conditions.

These infections typically appear within three to seven days after being exposed to the
bacteria. Both of these conditions are very serious and can be deadly. In fatal cases,
deaths can occur in as little as a few hours. People who recover from meningococcal
disease can have lifelong complications.

According to Dr. Lulu Bravo, professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines-
Manila College of Medicine, meningococcemia can be so severe as to cause death within
24 hours after initial onset of fever and purpuric rashes (purplish spots caused by
bleeding tiny blood vessels beneath the skin’s surface).

It has been established that meningococcal disease is transmitted only through droplets
of respiratory or throat secretions from carriers (such as kissing, sneezing or coughing on
someone or living in close quarters).

According to health experts, when the bacteria infect the meninges—the membranes
around the brain and spinal cord—it causes meningitis. Widely feared by parents,
meningitis is easily recognized. Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include sudden
onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. There can be additional symptoms, such as:
nausea, vomiting and confusion.
The WHO reminded the public that during the dry season between December to June,
dust winds, cold nights and upper respiratory tract infections combine can damage the
nasopharyngeal mucosa, increasing the risk of meningococcal disease.

At the same time, transmission of neisseria meningitidis may be facilitated by

overcrowded housing. This combination of factors explains the large epidemics, “which
occur during the dry season in the meningitis belt.”

In the agency’s 2012 compilation of health advisories, the DOH stressed that it is “an
acute and potentially life-threatening bacterial infection of the bloodstream.”

“The bacteria frequently live in a person’s upper respiratory tract without causing visible
signs of illness. [They] can be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets
from coughing, sneezing, kissing, or sharing foods, drinks and utensils,” the DOH said.
Even DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag cautioned that about 5 percent of healthy
persons harbor the bacteria. The symptoms of meningococcemia include:

 high fever
 headache
 stiff neck
 drowsiness
 dizziness
 convulsions
 vomiting
 unstable vital signs
 coughing
 rashes (rashes associated with meningococcemia are purple and, unlike other rashes, do not
turn white when pressure is applied).

Children are more vulnerable to the diseases because of their low resistance to the
bacteria. People of all ages can be affected and that 5 percent to 15 percent of those with
meningococcemia die within 24 to 48 hours. In 2013 the DOH reported that a six-year-
old boy in Quezon City succumbed to the disease two days after exhibiting symptoms,
while a four-year-old girl in Sorsogon also died after showing symptoms of
meningococcemia.

Following the death of a four–year-old boy being treated in Amang Rodriguez Memorial
Medical Center, in the same year, the Marikina City adopted “protective” measures
against the disease . The DOH advises following these measures to avoid getting the
disease:

 Wash hands frequently with soap and water;

 Avoid close contact with meningococcemia patients;
 Increase resistance by maintaining a healthy lifestyle—including a nutritious, well-balanced
diet, regular exercise, adequate rest and sleep, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol;
 Maintain a clean environment;
 Do not share utensils, cups, waterbottles, lipstick, cigarettes, musical instruments with
mouthpieces, mouth guards, or anything else that has been in the mouth of an infected
person;
 Avoid crowded places;
 Aggressive antibiotic treatment is usually given considering the case-fatality ratio of
meningococcal disease is estimated to be between 10 percent and 15 percent, and even
higher in the Philippines (case-fatality ratio of meningococcemia is more than 50 percent).

Vaccination

According to the WHO, vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself
from getting the disease.“The vaccine is remarkably safe,” the WHO said. It added that
licensed vaccines against meningococcal disease have been available for more than 40
years. “Over time, there have been major improvements in strain coverage and vaccine
availability, but to date no universal vaccine against meningococcal disease exists.
Vaccines are serogroup specific and confer varying degrees of duration of protection,”
the WHO added.

“The WHO is committed to eliminating meningococcal disease as a public health

problem,” the WHO stressed. Vaccines against infectious meningococcal disease have
been available in the Philippines for more than a decade already.
In 2009 the Philippines reported 77 cases of Meningococcal disease resulting to 17
deaths. The highest incidence is noted in the age group of one to four years old with a
high case fatality rate of 28 percent. The DOH said that in the recent years, the
Philippines has seen many outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases and it continues to
be susceptible to the threat of reemerging infections such as leptospirosis, dengue,
meningococcemia, tuberculosis, etc.

The current situation emphasizes the risks and highlights the need to improve
preparedness at local, national and international levels to properly address future
pandemics.

“New pathogens will continue to emerge and spread across regions and will challenge
public health as never before signifying grim repercussions and health burden. These may
cause countless morbidities and mortalities, disrupting trade and negatively affect the
economy,” the DOH noted.

Meningococcemia is compensable

The Health secretary, meanwhile, had announced that the Philippine Health Insurance
Corp. (PhilHealth) will compensate the victims of meningococcemia under the
government’s health-insurance program. Duque said that meningococcemia is
compensable since it is considered a catastrophic case that could cause sudden death
under the PhilHealth rules.

Those PhilHealth members who suffer from meningococcemia are entitled to P400 daily
in room and board coverage and up to P16, 000 worth of medicines during their period
of confinement adding that there are 1,500 accreditedPhilHealth hospitals and clinics
where its members could go to seek treatment.

“Any member who will be confined in any PhilHealth-accredited hospital due to

meningococcemia need not worry because we will cover part of their hospitalization
expenses,” Duque said in a statement. He urged non-PhilHealth members to enrol in the
government’s health-insurance agency in order to avail themselves of health-care benefits
in the event they are afflicted with a severe ailment.
April 24 marks the World Meningitis Day, a day set to appreciate patient stories, raise
awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease and encourage vaccination to
prevent further cases. The Philippine Foundation for Vaccination will spearhead the joint
celebration of World Meningitis Day and World Immunization Week on April 24 at the
Quezon City Memorial Circle. Everyone is welcome to take part in the celebration which
will start at 6 a.m. Fun run and Zumba are just among the activities in the celebration.

Although the disease is not highly contagious, the Department of Health (DOH) warned
that meningococcal meningitis can kill in a matter of hours.

The DOH said that meningococcemia, caused by the neisseria meningitidis bacteria, can
spread through direct contact with discharges from the nose and throat.

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that a variety of
organisms, including different bacteria, fungi or viruses, can cause meningitis.
Meningococcemia can cause severe brain damage and is fatal in 50 percent of cases if
untreated.

Meningococcal disease has two common outcomes—meningitis and bloodstream

infection. The United Nations health agency says there are 12 types of n. meningitidis, six
of which can cause epidemics. Outside the human body, these fragile bacteria cannot
survive in natural conditions.

These infections typically appear within three to seven days after being exposed to the
bacteria. Both of these conditions are very serious and can be deadly. In fatal cases,
deaths can occur in as little as a few hours. People who recover from meningococcal
disease can have lifelong complications.

According to Dr. Lulu Bravo, professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines-
Manila College of Medicine, meningococcemia can be so severe as to cause death within
24 hours after initial onset of fever and purpuric rashes (purplish spots caused by
bleeding tiny blood vessels beneath the skin’s surface).
It has been established that meningococcal disease is transmitted only through droplets
of respiratory or throat secretions from carriers (such as kissing, sneezing or coughing on
someone or living in close quarters).

According to health experts, when the bacteria infect the meninges—the membranes
around the brain and spinal cord—it causes meningitis. Widely feared by parents,
meningitis is easily recognized. Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include sudden
onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. There can be additional symptoms, such as:
nausea, vomiting and confusion.

The WHO reminded the public that during the dry season between December to June,
dust winds, cold nights and upper respiratory tract infections combine can damage the
nasopharyngeal mucosa, increasing the risk of meningococcal disease.

At the same time, transmission of neisseria meningitidis may be facilitated by

overcrowded housing. This combination of factors explains the large epidemics, “which
occur during the dry season in the meningitis belt.”

In the agency’s 2012 compilation of health advisories, the DOH stressed that it is “an
acute and potentially life-threatening bacterial infection of the bloodstream.”

“The bacteria frequently live in a person’s upper respiratory tract without causing visible
signs of illness. [They] can be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets
from coughing, sneezing, kissing, or sharing foods, drinks and utensils,” the DOH said.
Even DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag cautioned that about 5 percent of healthy
persons harbor the bacteria. The symptoms of meningococcemia include:

 high fever
 headache
 stiff neck
 drowsiness
 dizziness
 convulsions
 vomiting
  unstable vital signs
 coughing
 rashes (rashes associated with meningococcemia are purple and, unlike other rashes, do not
turn white when pressure is applied).

Children are more vulnerable to the diseases because of their low resistance to the
bacteria. People of all ages can be affected and that 5 percent to 15 percent of those with
meningococcemia die within 24 to 48 hours. In 2013 the DOH reported that a six-year-
old boy in Quezon City succumbed to the disease two days after exhibiting symptoms,
while a four-year-old girl in Sorsogon also died after showing symptoms of
meningococcemia.

Following the death of a four–year-old boy being treated in Amang Rodriguez Memorial
Medical Center, in the same year, the Marikina City adopted “protective” measures
against the disease . The DOH advises following these measures to avoid getting the
disease:

 Wash hands frequently with soap and water;

 Avoid close contact with meningococcemia patients;
 Increase resistance by maintaining a healthy lifestyle—including a nutritious, well-balanced
diet, regular exercise, adequate rest and sleep, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol;
 Maintain a clean environment;
 Do not share utensils, cups, waterbottles, lipstick, cigarettes, musical instruments with
mouthpieces, mouth guards, or anything else that has been in the mouth of an infected
person;
 Avoid crowded places;
 Aggressive antibiotic treatment is usually given considering the case-fatality ratio of
meningococcal disease is estimated to be between 10 percent and 15 percent, and even
higher in the Philippines (case-fatality ratio of meningococcemia is more than 50 percent).

Vaccination

According to the WHO, vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself
from getting the disease.“The vaccine is remarkably safe,” the WHO said. It added that
licensed vaccines against meningococcal disease have been available for more than 40
years. “Over time, there have been major improvements in strain coverage and vaccine
availability, but to date no universal vaccine against meningococcal disease exists.
Vaccines are serogroup specific and confer varying degrees of duration of protection,”
the WHO added.

“The WHO is committed to eliminating meningococcal disease as a public health

problem,” the WHO stressed. Vaccines against infectious meningococcal disease have
been available in the Philippines for more than a decade already.

In 2009 the Philippines reported 77 cases of Meningococcal disease resulting to 17

deaths. The highest incidence is noted in the age group of one to four years old with a
high case fatality rate of 28 percent. The DOH said that in the recent years, the
Philippines has seen many outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases and it continues to
be susceptible to the threat of reemerging infections such as leptospirosis, dengue,
meningococcemia, tuberculosis, etc.

The current situation emphasizes the risks and highlights the need to improve
preparedness at local, national and international levels to properly address future
pandemics.

“New pathogens will continue to emerge and spread across regions and will challenge
public health as never before signifying grim repercussions and health burden. These may
cause countless morbidities and mortalities, disrupting trade and negatively affect the
economy,” the DOH noted.

Meningococcemia is compensable

The Health secretary, meanwhile, had announced that the Philippine Health Insurance
Corp. (PhilHealth) will compensate the victims of meningococcemia under the
government’s health-insurance program. Duque said that meningococcemia is
compensable since it is considered a catastrophic case that could cause sudden death
under the PhilHealth rules.
Those PhilHealth members who suffer from meningococcemia are entitled to P400 daily
in room and board coverage and up to P16, 000 worth of medicines during their period
of confinement adding that there are 1,500 accreditedPhilHealth hospitals and clinics
where its members could go to seek treatment.

“Any member who will be confined in any PhilHealth-accredited hospital due to

meningococcemia need not worry because we will cover part of their hospitalization
expenses,” Duque said in a statement. He urged non-PhilHealth members to enrol in the
government’s health-insurance agency in order to avail themselves of health-care benefits
in the event they are afflicted with a severe ailment.

April 24 marks the World Meningitis Day, a day set to appreciate patient stories, raise
awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease and encourage vaccination to
prevent further cases. The Philippine Foundation for Vaccination will spearhead the joint
celebration of World Meningitis Day and World Immunization Week on April 24 at the
Quezon City Memorial Circle. Everyone is welcome to take part in the celebration which
will start at 6 a.m. Fun run and Zumba are just among the activities in the celebration.

MANILA, Philippines – After confirming two more cases of meningococcemia in

Batangas and Laguna, the Department of Health (DOH) urged the public on Saturday,
October 5, to maintain good hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease.

“This is a deadly but highly preventable disease. I urge the public to practice good
personal hygiene such as regular handwashing, and covering of mouth and nose when
coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of this disease," said Assistant Secretary of
the Public Health Services Team Maria Rosario Vergeire in a statement.

She made the call after the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine laboratory results
confirmed that the two suspected meningococcemia cases – one each in Laguna and
Batangas – were positive for Neisseria meningitidis.

"The department is awaiting the laboratory confirmation of 5 more suspected

meningococcemia cases," the DOH said.

What is it? Meningococcemia is a rare but serious illness caused by a bacteria called
Neisseria meningitidis, which can be passed on through coughing, kissing, or sharing of
utensils.
Its symptoms include cough, headache, and sore throat, followed by upper respiratory
symptoms, fever, chills, malaise, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes. It can worsen to
cause lethargy, difficulty of breathing, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light, seizures,
hemorrhagic eruptions, purpuric and petechial skin lesion, and hypotension.

Why does this matter? The DOH stressed the importance of "early diagnosis and
immediate treatment with antibiotics" in preventing more deaths, and urged those
experiencing symptoms of the disease to seek immediate medical attention.

Vergeire said there was no outbreak yet as cases reported were "sporadic" and not
"clustering" but the DOH emphasized that the disease cause cause death "within a few
hours."

From January to September 21, the DOH Epidemiology Bureau recorded 169 cases
with 88 deaths or a case fatality rate of 52%. The DOH said this figure is "slightly
higher" than the cases recorded in same period last year, when 162 cases with 78
deaths were recorded.

"Most of the cases (79%) reported were not laboratory confirmed, presenting a gap in
confirming the magnitude of the disease," the DOH said. – Rambo
Talabong/Rappler.com

Chilling. That’s the best word to describe what some experts are saying about the
economic and social upheaval that a disease outbreak could cause. Baguio City is no
stranger to this fact when the bustling tourist destination was turned into a virtual
ghost town during the last quarter of 2004 after the Baguio General Hospital and
Medical Center reported to have admitted patients daily due to meningococcemia-like
symptoms.
The following year, meningococcemia becomes a full-blown scare and a damper on
city tourism. Apparently, the little knowledge or public information that the people
had about meningococcemia then, caused tourists to stay away.

“Educating the public is one way to prevent the spread of meningococcemia and at the
same time address the panic in the community,” stressed Philippine Foundation for
Vaccination executive director Dr. Lulu Bravo as she led the World Meningitis Day
observance in the summer capital on April 24.
Lead local gov’t
Baguio City was chosen as the lead local government for its success in managing
meningococcemia, a life-threatening bloodstream infection caused by Neisseria
meningitidis bacteria (the same one that causes acute inflammation of the lining of the
brain and spinal cord or meningitis).
Each year, more than one million people worldwide will suffer bacterial meningitis,
causing around 170,000 deaths. In the Philippines, only one in one million will
develop meningococcemia and the number is expected to cluster in areas where the
disease is raging.

Meningococcemia frequently lives in a person’s upper respiratory tract without

causing visible signs of illness. However, the bacteria could be spread from person to
person through respiratory droplets—for example, one may become infected if the
person is around someone with the condition when they sneeze or cough (although
close and prolonged contact—sharing of utensils with, drinking glasses used by and
kissing an infected person—is necessary for transmission to take place).
Preventable
According to Dr. May Montellano of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases of the
Philippines Inc. (Pidpi), the World Meningitis Day seeks to reduce the impact of the
disease. “The campaign encourages individuals, families and communities to learn the
signs and symptoms of meningitis, the need to urgently treat the disease, and the fact
that prevention is available through vaccination against some forms of meningitis,”
she said.
Meningococcemia is not easy to recognize and is often mistaken for a bad case of the
flu so family members should always suspect for the worse if one member exhibits the
following symptoms: anxiety, fever, headache, irritability, muscle pain, nausea,
presence of rash with red or purple spots.
If not properly detected and addressed, the individual will soon develop large areas of
bleeding under the skin, drop in blood pressure and circulatory shock that could soon
lead to death. Though relatively rare, the bacterial disease can be fatal within 48 hours
of developing.

Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/57331/ph-urged-to-join-fight-to-stop-

meningitis#ixzz61rCMMCBq
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DAVAO CITY -- The City Health Office (CHO) here on Sunday called on the public to refrain from
spreading false information about meningococcemia.

This comes after a meningococcemia scare circulated on social media and text messages on Friday
night.

Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, CHO head, clarified that Dabawenyos should not panic since there is no
proof of its existence.

The said text message warned the public to avoid going to Brokenshire Memorial Hospital because
of a suspected meningococcemia case where a four-year-old boy died.

It also added that the doctors are convening to discuss the procedure to be done to the exposed
individuals.

"The wrong information resulted in Dabawenyos panicking. Stop spreading that kind of news unless
it is verified," Villafuerte stressed.

However, she clarified that meningococcemia is only dangerous to those who were directly exposed
to the patient.

"This is not an airborne disease, you don't have to worry if you are adjacent to the victim," she
explained.

She also reminded the public to observe proper hygiene to avoid various diseases.

Meanwhile, the Brokenshire Memorial Hospital released a statement on Saturday saying that the
patient was a "suspected case" who exhibited signs and symptoms similar to the case definition of
the disease.

It added that the collected specimen has been sent out to microbiologists for confirmation.

The statement further said that the emergency room of the said hospital has been cleared by the
Infection Control Committee and is now safe and normally operating.

On the other hand, the Department of Health Region 11 (DOH-11) also gave their statement on the
said issue.

The department said it is "investigating the said report and waiting for the result."

However, as a precautionary measure, DOH has given post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to the
family members in close contact with the victim, classmates of the deceased child and the
emergency room staff in direct contact with the patient.

They have also deployed a monitoring team from DOH that visits the school to assist teachers in
information dissemination to the parents and make sure that all who are in contact with the
deceased child will also be given PEP.
DOH also reminded the public that the mode of transmission of meningococcemia is through
droplets and it is not an airborne disease.

"Direct contact with discharges from the nose and throat of the infected person might put someone
else at risk," the statement further reads.

They also appealed to the public to be responsible in sharing posts in social media which may cause
alarm and panic to the public.

Meningococcemia is a rare infection caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria.

This is the same type of bacteria that can cause meningitis. When the bacteria infect the membranes
that cover the brain and spinal cord, it's called meningitis. (PNA)

It started with a whisper. Then, suddenly it traveled from one ear to another. Before the day was
over, it was raging all over the town like a wildfire. But just like most gossips, there was no
truth to it.

“The issue that has been circulating about the cause of death of a student that has been
hospitalized is false. It’s fake news,” pointed out a note posted in the social media.

Compostela Valley Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy himself assured his constituents about the
matter. “No meningococcemia scare in our province,” he wrote in his Facebook
account. “Know the facts,” he added and posted a link of a news report published in SunStar
Davao.

“The case was still a ‘suspected’ case of meningococcemia because wala na sa laboratory
test ang bata kay nag-arrest dayon siya unya namatay,” the local daily quoted Dr. Antonio
Ybiernas, the health officer II of the said province, as saying.
A lot of parents were scared because they have reason, too. After all, meningococcemia is one of
the very few diseases that can kill a healthy child within hours, according to health experts. In
medical parlance, it is called Meningococcal meningitis, a bacterial form of meningitis.

“A variety of organisms, including different bacteria, fungi or viruses, can cause meningitis,” the
Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) reports. Meningococcemia can cause severe
brain damage and is fatal in 50% of cases if untreated.

This blood infection is caused by the gram-negative bacteria Neisseria meningitidis (N.
meningitidis), which is normally found in common throat disorders. The United Nations health
agency says there are 12 types of N. meningitidis, six of which can cause epidemics.

Outside the human body, these fragile bacteria cannot survive in natural
conditions. Meningococcemia can cause is an acute and potentially life-threatening infection of
the bloodstream.

According to Dr. Lulu Bravo, professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines-Manila’s
College of Medicine, meningococcemia can be so severe as to cause death within 24 hours after
initial onset of fever and purpuric rashes (purplish spots caused by bleeding tiny blood vessels
beneath the skin’s surface).

It has been established that meningococcal disease is transmitted only through droplets of
respiratory or throat secretions from carriers (such as kissing, sneezing or coughing on someone
or living in close quarters).

Health experts claim when the bacteria infect the meninges—the membranes around the brain
and spinal cord— it causes meningitis. Widely feared by parents, meningitis is easily recognized;
most cases are diagnosed quickly and treated effectively with antibiotics. But when these same
bacteria invade a child’s bloodstream, early symptoms are hard to distinguish from other
childhood infections.
“Meningococcemia is a dangerous disease requiring early and aggressive treatment to prevent a
potentially lethal outcome,” Dr. Warren Howe writes in an article for The Physician and Sports
Medicine. “It often occurs in relatively closed groups…”

The disease-causing bacteria “only infects humans; there is no animal reservoir,” the WHO
says. It spares no one—including adults. But most of those who succumbed to the disease are
children.

N. meningitides are transmitted from person-to-person by respiratory droplets. “At first, the
bacteria colonize the upper airway and the victim doesn’t notice it at all,” a medical science book
explains. “From there, it may penetrate into the bloodstream to the central nervous system and
cause meningitis or develop into a full-blown bloodstream infection (meningococcemia).

Fortunately, in most colonized people, this does not happen and the result of this colonization is
long-lasting immunity against the particular strain.

“After colonization is established, symptoms can develop within one day to one to two weeks.
After a short period of time (one hour up to one to two days), when the patient complains of
fever and muscle aches, more severe symptoms can develop.

Unfortunately, during this early stage, a doctor cannot tell this illness from any other illness, such
as a viral infection like flu,” the book continues.

Unless the case is occurring in a person known to have been exposed to or in the midst of an
epidemic of meningococcal disease, there may be no specific symptoms or signs found that can
help the doctor diagnose the problem.

“After this initial period, the patient will often complain of continued fever, shaking chills,
overwhelming weakness and even a feeling of impending doom,” the book goes on to explain.
“The organism is multiplying in the bloodstream, unchecked by the immune system. The
severity of the illness and its dire complications are caused by the damage the organism does to
the small blood vessel walls. This damage is called a vasculitis, an inflammation of a blood
vessel. Damage to the small vessels causes them to become leaky.”
The first signs of the infection’s severity are small bleeding spots seen on the skin. “Within
hours, the blood-vessel damage increases and large bleeding areas on the skin are seen. The same
changes are taking place in the affected person’s internal organs. The blood pressure is often low
and there may be signs of bleeding from other organs (like coughing up blood, nose bleeds,
blood in the urine).

“The organism not only damages the blood vessels by causing them to leak, but also causes
clotting inside the vessels. If this clotting occurs in the larger arteries, it results in major tissue
damage. Essentially, large areas of skin, muscle and internal organs die from lack of blood and
oxygen. Even if the disease is quickly diagnosed and treated, the patient has a high risk of
dying.”

The disease is not at all incurable but could be treated when detected early. The WHO described
meningococcemia as a “medical emergency.” “Admission to a hospital or a health center is
necessary,” the WHO says.

In addition to intravenous antibiotics, patients in intensive care will likely require intravenous
fluids and sometimes medications to help maintain and support an adequate blood pressure.
“Some patients may require ventilator support if they develop respiratory distress,”
the medicinenet.com says.

Family members and those closely exposed to an infected individual are advised to take
antibiotics, too. In like manner, children suspected to have contact with those who were infected
are also recommended to take antibiotics. “People who have been exposed to N.
meningitidis should be monitored for 10 to 14 days to make sure they do not develop
symptoms,” medicinenet.com advises.