HEALTH EXPERTS WARN COMMUNITY TO BE VIGILANT OF MENINGOCOCCAL SYMPTOMS
Health experts are reminding the community to be alert to symptoms of meningococcal disease, after an elderly man died of the infection in a Hunter hospital.
It was the eighth case of meningococcal in the Hunter New England Local Health District this year, but Public Health Physician, Dr David Durrheim says cases of the rare disease have fallen in the past 10 years, due to vaccinations.
“Meningococcal infection does not spread easily. It is spread by secretions from the nose and throat of a person who is carrying it and close and prolonged contact is needed to pass it on. It does not appear to be spread through saliva or by sharing drinks, food or cigarettes,” he said.
He stressed that while meningococcal disease could be serious, in most cases, early detection and treatment resulted in a complete recovery.
Up to 10 per cent of patients with invasive meningococcal disease in Australia die as a result of the infection.
The first symptoms of an infection may include pain in the legs, cold hands and feet and abnormal skin colour.
Later symptoms may include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, dislike of bright lights, nausea and vomiting, a rash of reddish-purple spots or bruises and drowsiness. Babies with the infection can be irritable, not feed properly and have an abnormal cry.
