The tragedy in Cyprus: How to protect against the meningococcal bacterium?

The tragic death of a two-year-old Israeli toddler in Cyprus shocked many and brought back awareness of the danger of the common meningococcal bacterium.

"He has the ability to eliminate a healthy person in a matter of hours," says a pediatrician, explaining how to guard against it

Walla!

health

24/11/2021

Wednesday, 24 November 2021, 11:15 Updated: 11:18

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In the video: An ambulance brings a baby girl infected with a violent bacterium to Safra Hospital (Photo: Sheba Tel Hashomer)

A two-year-old Israeli baby died yesterday (Tuesday) in the city of Limassol in Cyprus, after suffering from fever and rash.

It is suspected that he contracted flesh-eating bacteria Meningococcal B. Chabad kindergarten, where he studied the child, other children also suffered from heat. One of them, a girl of about two years, is in fair condition and was transferred yesterday to Sheba Medical Center for treatment.

Unfortunately, this is not a tragic case In Israel, there are about 20 cases of severe morbidity in the violent bacterium Meningococcus B every year, and every year at least two babies die as a result of the bacterium, and four more are left with severe and irreversible damage.

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There is a violent bacterium that infects toddlers.

This will prevent them from getting sick

To the full article

"The meningococcal bacterium can cause meningococcal disease - a multi-systemic failure. Within minutes, the body, heart, blood pressure and coagulation systems collapse, and it can lead to death," explains Dr. Guy Steuer, a pediatrician who specializes in pediatrics and lung medicine. In the meninges. The incidence of the disease is higher in children and adolescents. "Although it is still quite rare, the cause, the meningococcal bacterium, is not uncommon at all and is found in many of us in the nasal passages," explains Dr. Stuyer.

Meningococcus has the ability to eliminate a healthy person within hours

"Symptoms of the disease early are often misleading, and may include headaches, neck pain Rear sudden high fever, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and sometimes when there is destruction of the blood clotting system also subcutaneous bleeding," explains Dr. Steuer.

Much pain is a disease "The mortality rate is very high, especially in toddlers and infants." Meningococcus has the ability to kill a healthy person within hours, and a significant proportion of survivors will be left with a brain injury, "he added.

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Dr. Stuyer says he can not forget any of the meningitis patients he treated. "The rapid, severe and sometimes fatal development of the disease cuts us off for years," he said. .

"Here, too, the multi-system failure came at once, and after antibiotic treatment had already been given and central centers had been inserted," he said.

The bacterium damages the brain and requires prolonged rehabilitation.

Toddler in hospital (Photo: ShutterStock)

In this case, the child survived.

"However, coping with the disease does not end with the provision of antibiotic treatment as the significant coping begins more than once later during the prolonged rehabilitation process of children whose brains have been damaged by the meningococcus."

There is a way to protect yourself from this violent bacterium

"The best way to protect against the disease is in prevention, but since it is a bacterium that can be found in any of us, its spread is very simple. A parent's hug is enough to infect the child. As in Corona, it is important to avoid distance," explains D. "R. Stuyer," but in the case of infants and toddlers who spend many hours in kindergarten or nursery, in playrooms or even near family, keeping distance is not easy.

"Just like Corona, the best and most recommended way to avoid and protect against the disease is the vaccine."

Anyone can get vaccinated and defend themselves.

Baby gets vaccinated (Photo: ShutterStock)

There is a vaccine against meningococcal bacteria, as well as against the most common strain in Israel, meningococcus B, and anyone can get vaccinated and defend themselves.

"Because the most susceptible population to infection is young infants, health organizations have recommended vaccinating this at-risk population from two months to two years of age, in two doses two months apart, and in a booster dose about six months later," Dr. Steuer explained

in recent years

.

Meningococcus B (Baxero) is present in Israel and has been added to the list of recommended vaccines in toddlers, and this vaccine certainly works.

• health

• parenthood

• Child health

Tags

• Violent bacterium

• Flesh-eating bacteria

• Vaccines

• Cyprus