The Covid epidemic would have almost made us forget the dangers of bacterial meningitis.
Social distancing measures allowed a drop in the number of cases during the first two years of the pandemic, but the numbers have since started to rise again.
This infection of the meninges, membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, leads to inflammation and edema that can lead to death if not treated quickly.
The increase in infections concerns meningococcal cases which are subject to mandatory declaration to the Regional Health Agencies.
These bacteria are among the main vectors of meningitis with pneumococci, streptococci,
Haemophilus influenzae
and
Listeria monocytogenes
.
Without treatment, mortality is 100%.
Read alsoMeningitis: 56,000 young people called to be vaccinated in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
“This infection is an absolute medical emergency. Antibiotic treatment in hospital reduces the death rate to 10%, but a quarter of patients retain serious sequelae...
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