One of the most formidable diseases that can lead to serious and, in certain cases, irreversible consequences, is meningitis. How to get infected with this disease, or rather, how to avoid it, is a very important issue that requires detailed consideration. In particular, those people whose immunity is weakened for some reason should take their own he alth seriously. Small children are also at risk. The fact is that their immune system is not fully formed yet.
What is this disease
Before we talk about the treatment of the meningitis infection, how to get infected and how to avoid it, let's define the disease itself. It is caused by a special type of virus - meningococcus. Penetrating to the membrane of the spinal cord or brain, they cause severe inflammation. Any person is a carrier of a huge number of various viruses, in principle, also capable of provoking meningitis. However, to get to the meninges, they need to pass several serious barriers. Of course, they can overcome them, butonly when immunity is weakened.
Main symptoms
The main signs by which infection can be identified are high fever (39–40 °C) and vomiting. Sometimes there are convulsions, as well as various kinds of rashes on the skin. The person becomes lethargic and complains of headaches. All this can be symptoms of both the common flu and such a formidable disease as meningitis. How to get infected with it is the easiest way and what preventive measures to take, we will talk later in the article. But first of all, you need to remember that when these symptoms appear, you should, without waiting, consult a doctor. If a disease is diagnosed, antibiotic treatment is usually prescribed and a dropper is placed to remove toxins from the body.
Meningitis: how you can get sick
Meningococci are dangerous primarily because they are transmitted by airborne droplets. Infection also occurs through unwashed vegetables and fruits, when swimming in dirty water bodies, as well as in crowded places. The widespread opinion that you can get meningitis while walking down the street without a hat in winter is nothing more than a myth. In this case, only a person who was originally a carrier of the virus can get sick, which in certain cases does not manifest itself in any way and dies over time. Hypothermia simply creates the conditions for its rapid development.
Prevention measures
So, what should be done to avoid such a formidable disease as meningitis (how to get infectedhim the easiest, we have already found out)? With a weakened immune system, you should not visit places with large crowds of people. You should also observe personal hygiene. However, the most radical means of prevention at the moment is, of course, vaccination.
For example, the commonly used drug Baxter NeisVac-C may well prevent the onset of a disease such as meningitis. Reviews about him among Russians are mostly positive, and in Germany his injection is generally mandatory for everyone. Of course, no vaccine can give a 100% guarantee. However, in a person who has been vaccinated, even if infected, the disease will be much milder.
