Meningococcemia, a Layperson's Theory on a 'Silent' Health Success Story
With the knowledge most of us are regularly exposed to the risk of contracting Meningitis or Meningococcemia YET rarely develop these serious infections; perhaps we should be wondering why most people DON'T develop these diseases. 'Why most people don't' may prove to be a powerful 'silent' (untold) health success story.
(PRWEB) March 8, 2005 --Success stories are valuable. Why? If a company has a
business plan and model that results in success other companies will take notice
of that success and copy it.
In the business world this is called
espionage (just kidding). In the business world this is called 'best practice'
and it's about identifying what works best and why it works best, then recording
(creating guidelines, policies and processes) how the success was achieved.
Until the success is analysed, broken down into steps and recorded, the success
is not easily repeatable.
In a nutshell that means scoping both what
people did and what resources they used to achieve success, then writing down
the details so anyone can repeat the same steps and achieve the same successful
results. The best-loved chocolate cake is easily reproduced once the recipe has
been written down and shared.
Those who maintain good health use a recipe
that should be shared. Those who recover from ill health use a recipe that
should be shared.
The 'Case Health - Health Success Stories' website is
based on this premiss and has been providing the worldwide internet community a
central point for sharing information on what works since 2001.
On
occasion a health success story can be obscure or 'silent' as with Meningitis
and Meningococcemia.
What do we know about Meningitis?
Meningitis is
the term that describes inflammation of the meninges (inflammation of the
membranes and fluid surrounding our brains). There are many possible causes for
inflammation of the meninges...viral, bacterial, fungal, allergic, etc; and
though the word itself is feared most types of Meningitis are not critical.
Of these causes, Bacterial Meningitis is the more serious. The most
common culprits for the development of an infection that may result in Bacterial
Meningitis are; Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Haemophilus Influenzae, Listeria
Monocytogenes, and Neisseria Meningitidis (commonly known as meningococcus). Of
these, it is Neisseria Meningitidis (meningococcus) that causes the most serious
form of bacterial meningitis, Meningococcal Meningitis.
Meningococcal
meningitis is less dangerous than Meningococcal Septicaemia (Meningococcemia)
when infection is in the bloodstream. Meningococcemia is critical and is
evidenced by the rash most people associate with the word
'Meningitis'.
Vaccines
There are vaccines that protect against some
forms of meningitis but they don't prevent all forms of meningitis.
Signs
& Symptoms
(1) Meningococcemia has different symptoms to Meningitis. A
person with Meningococcal Septicaemia may never experience a headache or stiff
neck as the infection is in the blood and may or may not be in the Meninges.
Common to both Meningitis and Meningococcal Septicaemia are; fever (usually
high), drowsiness/impaired consciousness, irritable, fussy, agitated, severe
headache, vomiting. Symptoms associated primarily with Meningitis are; stiff
neck, pain on moving neck, rash (not always). Symptoms associated primarily with
Meningococcal Septicaemia are; rash, cold hands and feet, rapid breathing, pain
in muscles, joints, and abdomen.
(2) Meningitis symptoms in infants and
children may include a high-pitched whimpering, moaning or crying, dislike of
being handled, fretful arching back, neck retraction and refusing feeds or
vomiting. Any victim may show these symptoms; blank staring expression,
difficult to wake up or very lethargic, unrelenting fever (does not go away),
pale, blotchy skin colour, sensitivity to light, cold feet or hands, nausea or
vomiting and/or joint pain. A red/purple rash (bleeding under the skin). This
may appear as little red pin pricks, hickeys or purplish bruises. This is a life
threatening sign.
Preventives: Don't share drinks, food, eating utensils,
tooth brushes or makeup, water bottles, sippy cups, unclean toys or sweat towels
with others, even family members. Cover your mouth with your hand or tissue when
you cough. Avoid public water fountains. If these must be used, teach children
the proper way to use them, make sure they are in good working order and clean.
Avoid containers of ice, water or other liquids where several people are dipping
with cups or hands. Wash yours and your child's hands frequently. Brush yours
and your children's teeth two ~ three times a day. Wipe noses when cold or
allergy is present. Make sure these preventives are expressed to your day care
provider or school.
As symptoms can resemble those of flu and other viral
infections it's important to be vigilant. Both Bacterial Meningitis and
Meningococcemia are considered medical emergencies.
Where do the bacteria
come from?
Bacteria love warm, moist environments so they could be just about
anywhere. Chances are some strains will be found on dishcloths and other moist
areas in your home or in soil. From there they can move into other warm, moist
environments such as ears, throats, nasal passages, and lungs. They can multiply
very quickly and cause all sorts of irritating nasties such as sore throats,
upper respiratory infections, ear infections, sinusitis, and food
poisoning.
It seems logical that simple hygiene practices like cleaning,
hand washing, and covering sneezes would eliminate most transmissions … but what
about those who may already be hosting these nasties? Many may host bacteria but
few will develop Meningitis or Meningococcemia.
Why some do but most
don't.
If you've ever had a sore throat, ear, sinus, respiratory, or other
infection, it's possible you've hosted bacteria capable of causing
Meningococcemia yet were spared because the bacteria wasn't able to access your
bloodstream.
Studies have suggested a higher prevalence of the disease
amongst pre-schoolers and teens. Both these groups are known to happily share
body fluids via toys and tongues, but transmission of bacteria is only one part
of the puzzle.
Bacteria can happily reside in the ear, nose, chest, or
throat and not develop into a more severe infection. So how does the bacteria
obtain access to the bloodstream?
There must be opportunity, but what
opportunity?
Meningococcemia Theory: Interestingly, bacteria can enter
the bloodstream from the mouth during some dental procedures and when gums are
not healthy (periodontitis). They can cause very serious heart diseases. If
there's something else pre-schoolers and teens share … perhaps it's teething
problems.
1) Babies & toddlers:
a) Babies have immature immune
systems.
b) The group is too immature to personally manage oral hygiene and
is dependent on the actions of parents/carers.
c) Teething problems. As a
mother I know babies often experience other health problems when they're
teething. It's possible natural immune defences are lowered to enable teeth to
erupt and break through the gum. If bacteria are present, this may provide
opportunity for bacteria to gain direct access to the bloodstream.
2)
College students:
a) College students adopt body piercing.
b) College
students may suffer lowered immune defences/immunity due to steroid or
recreational drug use.
c) College students may have poor oral hygiene
practices (as a result of greater freedom from parental supervision).
d)
College students play sport. Teeth and gums can be injured. College students may
also get wisdom teeth. If bacteria are present, this may provide opportunity for
bacteria to gain direct access to the bloodstream.
There are probably
other common links and risk factors between these groups ... but aren't these
links worth considering?
You can share your own health success story with
others via www.casehealth.com.
NB For your family's health … if
your family suffers sore throats your dishcloth may be the culprit. Children
will often grab a dishcloth to wipe their hands and mouth.
If in doubt,
hold the cloth near your nose. If it has a smell, wash it or replace it
immediately. Always use separate, clean cloths for washing dishes and wiping
little hands or faces.
Sources:
(1)Meningitis Research Foundation of
Canada
http://www.meningitis.ca/whatismeningitis/meningococcal.asp
(2)
The American Academy of Periodontology
http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.top2.htm
(3)
Meningococcal Support (Australia)
http://www.meningococcal.com.au
Summary of theory as
posted to 'Rapid Responses', BMJ (British Medical Journal) Journals ONLINE @
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/321/7257/383
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/3/prweb215638.htm