MENINGITIS CASES IN JOHANNESBURG WARRANTS NO PANIC

At present there is no meningococcal disease outbreak in the City of Johannesburg.  Sporadic cases are occurring, but there has been no increase in the expected laboratory-confirmed cases of meningococcal disease to date this year as compared to the same period in previous years.

In response to the current community concerns regarding meningococcal meningitis, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the City of Johannesburg Health Department would like to make the following points:

1. Meningitis is a condition that can be caused by many different infectious agents. Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). They are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

2. Neisseria meningitidis is a bacteria that causes a specific type of meningitis called “meningococcal meningitis”. This bacterium can also cause a serious infection of the blood stream  “meningococcal septicaemia”. Meningococcal disease cases are reported every year in South Africa and increase in the winter months

3. The recent reports of cases of suspected meningococcal infection in the media should not cause alarm and there is currently no outbreak of meningococcal disease. There has been no increase in the expected laboratory-confirmed cases of meningococcal disease to date. Only three of the media reported cases were confirmed to have meningococcal disease in the laboratory and there is no link between the cases. One other case was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms and signs and a number of other reported cases have been excluded or have had an alternative diagnosis confirmed on further testing.

4. Patients with meningococcal meningitis and/or septicaemia may deteriorate very rapidly, typically within hours of the onset of symptoms. Symptoms may include high fever, neck stiffness and headache. Antibiotics may be life -saving if given timeously.

5. Close contacts of meningococcal disease cases are people who would be considered at increased risk of acquiring the infection. These are people in the same household or day-care center, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions (such as a boyfriend or girlfriend). All such close contacts of the recent cases have been given antibiotic prophylaxis where indicated and this will protect them against infection.
6. There is no need for antibiotic prophylaxis to be given to people who are not close contacts of such cases. There is also no need for vaccination in response to these cases.

The City of Johannesburg Health Department has been rolling out an educational programme to explain the ABC’s of meningitis (see attached). It will answer questions such as what meningitis is, what its symptoms are and what a person needs to do when they suspect a person might have meningitis.

Also important to note is that in the event of suspected meningitis, only persons in close contact with the infected person is provided with medication in line with international standards.

 For further enquiries please contact:

Nkosinathi Nkabinde
Communication Specialist                                                                                                                 
City of Johannesburg Health Department                                                                             
Tel: (011) 407 – 6477
Cell: 083 408 7787                                                                                                                             
E-mail: nkosinathin@joburg.org.za

OR

Dr Lucille Blumberg,
 National Institute for Communicable Diseases
Tel: 0113866337