People anywhere, at any age, can be infected with meningitis, which is transmitted through respiratory secretions or drops in close human contact. The low and medium -income nations are worse affected.
The so -called “meningitis belt” in sub -Saharan Africa sees most cases and outbreaks. It extends from Senegal and Gambia in the west of the continent to Ethiopia in the east.
The most dangerous form of the disease, bacterial meningitis, can kill in just 24 hours, and one in six people dies once infected.
“Every family that has had a meningitis case knows what fears that this disease can bring,” said Dr. Marie-Pierre Preziosi, who the team leads by meningitis and an R&D Plan D.
Life imprisonment
About 20 percent of people who contract bacterial meningitis develop long -term complications, including disabilities with a devastating and life impact, which he said in a statement.
Additional attention should be paid to vaccination coverage to avoid critical problems, including the deterioration of brain function, warned Dr. Tarun Dua, who addresses the health of the brain, speaking with journalists in the launch of the new guidelines.
Class division
Hearing loss is just a side effect of the disease; It is often particularly harmful to children whose education suffers. But if it can be detected rapidly according to the new WHO guidelines “can provide treatment and the child may be well included” in school and in society, “said Dr. Dua.
A group of three or four cases among schoolchildren can be treated with antibiotics, but only if vaccination levels are high, according to Dr. Lorenzo Pezzoli, who the team leads by meningitis and epidemic bacterial diseases.
It is worth shooting
But many countries lack the means to provide protection against vaccines to guarantee collective immunity against many diseases, not just meningitis. In addition, they also lack the advanced technology required to diagnose the disease in the first place, which is not as easy as a COVID-19-Hiopus test.
“You must insert the needle into the spine and test the liquid that comes out,” said Dr. Pezzoli, highlighting the difficulty facing many low -income countries retained by bad health centers.
In a growing number of countries affected by the crisis or emergency conflict, people cannot obtain the treatment they need as fast as they should, creating “fertile motifs for meningitis epidemic,” said Dr. Pezzoli, who added that his two -year -old son has had his blow to the disease.
The UN health agency guidelines are part of their efforts to eradicate meningitis by 2030. It works with partners, including the Menafrinet Network to support the collection countries and analyze data surveillance data of high quality diseases. This allows monitoring the impact of control strategies, including meningitis A.
Prevention is “the most important piece of puzzle,” insisted Dr. Pezzoli.
