Meningitis: Alert in Patras – Vaccines and antibiotics will be given in student contacts

Health authorities are on alert after the three cases at the University, while EODY’s scale already arrives in Patras in order to trace the contacts of the third student who was ill with meningitis. Three cases of meningitis at the University of Patras from 11.1.2024 until today constitute an outbreak of cases, according to the scientists of the EOPI, while within 2024, i.e. within less than 2.5 months, 12 cases have been reported throughout the country. The increase in meningidoccocci cases in Greece is clearly reflected in the data published by iatropedia.gr in its report a few days ago. The two of the three students who were ill at Patras University are fighting to hold onto life, while in the last case the 20-year-old student of the Department of Mechanical and Mechanical Engineering is hospitalized in the ICU of the University Hospital of Patras in Rio and has not yet escaped the risk. The 20-year-old Math student is still in critical condition for a 12th day at the same hospital, while she will reportedly need to undergo surgery in the next few days – and perhaps amputation – on the fingers of the lower limbs. The first incident, the 18-year-old student of the University of Patras, is still being hospitalized, however, has escaped danger, according to doctors. The three young children suffered from meningitis with a few days apart from each other and although they were not directly linked to each other they were located in the same area, which falls within the definition of case outbreak, according to the EOPI. It is true that living in a community environment, as scientists say, favours the spread of meningococcal meningitis and that is why students (such as soldiers, children in boarding schools, etc.) who live in dorms are at greater risk. Although vaccination against bacterial meningitis II is recommended to students for the above reasons, vaccines are of high cost and are not covered by insurance funds. 40% of children in Greece have even been vaccinated at private expense. Trace contacts and provide preventive chemoprotection Sources of EODY report at iatropedia.gr, that it is obvious that in the wider area of the University of Patras there is a meningitococcus and that is why the Organization decided to proceed with specific actions. A branch of the Organization goes to the area today, in order to trace the contacts of the last student who was sick with meningitis and was found unconscious in his apartment by his parents who first moved him to the hospital “Saint Andreas”. Scientists in the Agency will proceed to trace the 20-year-old’s contacts to provide vaccines, as well as chemical protection. In particular, the vaccine against serogroup meningitis is expected to be administered Second to the student’s very close contacts, which – according to the first information – are expected to be about 20 to 30. Antibiotic chemotherapy will be given to a wider number of contacts, expected to be several dozen people, students and professors from the University. Please note that close contacts in meningitis are not many, such as contacts of COVID-19 disease. Coronavirus can be transmitted after contact with an infected person within at least 15 minutes, while meningiococcus requires even hours. EOMS: An increase in meningitis cases within 2023 Sources of EODY reported to iatropedia.gr that the increase in meningitis cases occurred in the last year and specifically after the end of the coronavirus pandemic, while in the pandemic there had been a vertical fall. In 2023, according to the compulsory case statement system by the Prefectures Public Health Directorates and the National Meningitis Reference Centre of the School of Public Health, at the University of Western Attica, almost four times as many cases are detected compared to 2021-2022. Specifically, while in recent years the cases of meningitis nationwide did not exceed 5 per year, in recent year more than 20 cases have been recorded, while within 2024 and within just 2.5 months, 12 have been recorded. More detailed, according to data from EOPI and ECDC, each year were found in Greece: 2017 ……42 cases of meningitis 2018…… 34 cases 2019…. 32 cases 2020 ….. 21 cases 2021 …….. 4 cases 2022 ……… 4-6 cases 2023 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. As reported by the EOPI, a total of 1,133 cases of meningoccal disease were reported in 2004-2023, while the incidence of the disease showed a significant fall from 2013 to 2022 (Figure 1). “In particular during the COVID-19 pandemic the impact of the disease reached its lowest levels and this was attributed to the application of restrictive measures distance, mask use, school closure). In the year 2023 the incidence of the disease increased by reaching pre-demic levels,” reported in the EOW Report. Age distribution and mortality During the period 2004-2023 68 deaths were recorded from meningitiscocci which corresponds to 6% mortality. The greatest mortality was recorded in the year 2018 (11.8%) while the smallest in the years 2020-2022 (0%). As regards age distribution, for the period 2004-2023 and for 1,132 cases of known age, the disease showed a higher incidence in the age group 0-4 years. The average annual impact progressively decreases at the ages of 5-14 years (1.01 per 100,000 population) and 15-24 years (0.91 per 100,000 population). In age groups over 25 the average annual reported incidence of meningidoccal disease is particularly small (Figure 2). See the relevant EOM chart: Meningitis and symptoms Viral meningitis is the most common and is of moderate intensity, while it is often caused by enterovirus, herpesvirus or more rarely by an Arbovirus. Bacterial meningitis type B, however, is considered one of the most urgent medical cases, while in its acute phase there may be worsening of symptoms within a few hours. For bacterial meningitis B’ there are high-cost vaccines, which are not covered by insurance funds. Microbial and more dangerous meningitis is caused by: Streptococcus of pneumonia or pneumoccocci (children under 2 years of age and immunocatastalized). Naisserias of meningitis or meningitis or meningitococcus meningitis (students, infants, children, international travelers and immunosuppressed patients). Haemophilus of influenza type B (main cause of bacterial meningitis but its frequency has decreased due to vaccination). The symptoms of bacterial meningitis are as follows: General symptoms of high fever malaise poor general condition vomiting photosensitivity/ photophobia rash stiffness neck Early symptoms (medical assistance required) headache high fever photophobia (perhaps vomiting) Advanced symptoms rash poor general condition vomiting sepsis —> multi-organ attack —> death In early diagnosis of the disease antibiotics may be administered which reverse the disease, however, in the lightning form of meningitis doctors may not be able to upset the patient. Reportage: Janna Soulaki / Source: iatropedia.gr