Deadly meningitis outbreak hits UK. Here’s what to know
Why bacterial meningitis is so dangerous and how to treat it
A fast-growing outbreak of meningitis in southern England has killed a teenager and a 21-year-old student at the University of Kent and sickened at least 27 people.
Health officials in the United Kingdom report an unprecedented rise in cases and have launched a vaccination campaign while making a precautionary antibiotic treatment available to people who may have come in contact with sick individuals at the university and a nightclub linked to the outbreak.
Northeastern Global News spoke to Northeastern University infectious disease and public health experts to better understand meningitis, and explain the causes and treatment.
What is meningitis?
“Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain,” said Brandon Dionne, an associate clinical professor in pharmacy and health systems sciences and a clinical pharmacist who specializes in infectious disease. Known as the meninges, the lining protects and surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
While there are also viral types of meningitis, the most serious cases stem from bacterial infections, Dionne said. Bacterial meningitis “tends to have the most sudden onset and highest mortality. It can lead to death within a couple of days,” he said. The American Society for Microbiology says the case fatality rate for bacterial meningitis is 10 to 15%, even with antibiotic treatment.
“The most common pathway is that (bacteria) get into the blood and then they get into the meninges and cause infection and inflammation, which is why we call it meningitis.”
There are five types of bacterial meningitis, grouped by a specific kind of immune system-baiting surface protein they share.
Neisseria meningitidis or meningococcus is the bacteria behind the U.K. outbreak and belongs to type B, which is not among the groups that most commonly cause meningitis, Dionne said.
What are the symptoms?
“Bacterial meningitis is best treated when caught early, but the challenge is that symptoms can often be confused with other types of illnesses, whether it’s the flu or a bad cold,” said Neil Maniar, director of Northeastern’s master of public health program.
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“You could miss a really critical opportunity to treat it and ensure that someone can make a full recovery,” he said.
Symptoms include fever, headache and stiff neck, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People may also experience nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and mental confusion. “With meningococcus, you can also see a rash on your body,” but not everybody gets it, Dionne said.
Why are young people at risk?
Bacterial meningitis is commonly spread through close contact via respiratory droplets, Dionne said. Since younger people tend to be in settings that naturally lend themselves to being in close proximity, such as college campuses, military bases, or other social settings like nightclubs, they are at an increased risk for being infected by and passing on bacteria, he said.
“If you share a drink with someone, if you both sip from the same can of Coke, you could contract Neisseria meningitis from that, or if (someone) accidentally sneezes on you,” he said.
Although the U.K. rolled out a meningitis B vaccine for babies in 2015, today’s teens and young people did not have the opportunity to get immunized as infants. “That’s probably why we’re seeing the outbreak,” Dionne said.
What does prevention look like?
There are several vaccines that prevent bacterial meningitis, but the American Academy of Pediatrics limits its recommendation for universal immunization to a vaccine that covers four of the five bacterial groups — meningitis B is not among them. The academy says getting a shot for meningitis B should be up to patients and their physicians to decide.
Dionne strongly advised people going to college or entering the military to talk with their physician about getting the meningitis B shot because of the opportunity for the disease to spread in group living situations.
The meningitis B vaccine “is not something routine that everyone gets,” he said, but “most kids going to college could qualify.”
According to the AAP schedule, the first dose of the universal vaccine for meningitis bacterial groups A, C, W and Y should be given at age 11-12, and a second at age 16.
How is meningitis treated?
In most cases, bacterial meningitis is treated intravenously with an antibiotic called Ceftriaxone, Dionne said. “That covers meningococcus in the vast majority of cases.”
In the case of the U.K. outbreak, health authorities are also putting young people at risk of exposure on prophylactic doses of antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
He said people who fear they are at risk or have symptoms should get checked at a hospital emergency department, where health workers can start the IV treatment, if necessary.
