4 meningococcal infection cases registered in West Kazakhstan Region in 2022

In the West Kazakhstan Region for 12 months of 2022, 4 cases of meningococcal infection were registered, with an incidence rate of 0.60 per 100 thousand of the population. All cases were registered among children under 14 years of age.

Meningococcal infection is one of the most severe acute infectious diseases with various clinical manifestations. The most common infection among children, often the infection affects children in the first year of life.

The source of infection is a sick person. The infection spreads by airborne droplets and enters the body through the nasal mucosa, oral cavity and pharynx. The incubation period averages 4 days, but can vary from 2 to 10 days.

At the first stage of the disease, all signs are smoothed, so many people often mistake the onset of inflammation of the lining of the brain for a cold or ARVI. The main ones are:

• Headache. At first, it can be expressed as dizziness, mild malaise, over time it becomes permanent, bordering on a migraine.
• Lack of appetite. Along with this, there is a constant desire to drink due to dryness in the throat.
• Young patients develop diarrhea.
• General weakness, body aches.
• A sharp reaction to light, loud noises and touch.
• Temperature rise.

Prevention of meningococcal infection:

- when the first symptoms of catarrhal phenomena (headache, fever, redness of the throat, weakness) appear, you should consult a doctor;

- limit visits to crowded places (cultural events, playgrounds in shopping and entertainment centers);

- exclusion of contact with the patient, the use of masks;

- personal hygiene, thorough hand washing;

- timely treatment of acute and chronic infectious diseases of the ENT organs that can cause the development of meningitis;

- hardening of the body and sports.

In no case should you self-medicate, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, as there are fulminant forms of the disease, leading to serious complications.