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Be on guard against meningitis


Published on Tuesday 31 August 2010 17:14

AS Hartlepool and east Durham children return to school, parents are been warned to be on their guard against meningitis.

The charity, Meningitis UK, says that the close confines of a classroom can put youngsters at a higher risk in catching the deadly brain bug.

Meningitis kills more under-fives than any other infectious disease and children up until their late teens are also vulnerable.

Research shows that 62 per cent of people are unaware that there's still no vaccine for meningitis B, which is one of the most deadly forms in the UK.

Steve Dayman, chief executive of Meningitis UK, says, "The survey show that many parents wrongly believe their child is protected from meningitis, which could prove fatal.

"Meningitis and septicaemia can be hard to recognise in the early stages because the initial symptoms are similar to many childhood diseases.

"A child with bacterial meningitis or septicaemia will usually get ill quickly and get worse fast, so parents should check them often because meningitis can kill in under four hours."

Meningitis UK funds life-saving research into finding a vaccine against meningitis B strain, while they have been successful in creating vaccines against other forms of meningitis such as Hib, meningitis C and pneumococcal meningitis.

A free pack, full of information to help raise awareness, is available to anyone and can be order by calling (0117) 3737373 or by visiting www.meningitis.UK.org


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