An 18-year-old woman from the Rennes (Iille-Et-Vilaine region) died on Monday, February 3, after meningococcal meningitis, informs our colleagues in Oueest-France.
On Friday, January 31, several cases of meningitis were reported within the same family in Rennes and Chantepie southeast of the metropolis. Two people were hospitalized at the Hospital of the University of Rennes. His health “would be in the process of improving,” said the local newspaper. A third would also be closely followed by medical staff.
Forty contacts
“Upon receiving the first report, Ars Brittany conducted an epidemiological survey to identify contacts and offer them a prophylactic antibiotic treatment,” said the services of the health agency in Daily.
Since then, Ars has identified forty people as contacts. Everyone benefited from treatment to limit the spread of infection. It is carried out “intravenously and generally continues for 4 to 7 days”, specifies the Institut Pasteur.
A high mortality rate
Meningitis is “spinal cord infection and the envelopes surrounding the brain, meninges”, caused by various types of viruses, bacteria such as meningococci and fungi, he says The Pasteur Institute.
Despite treatments, meningococcal infections have a high mortality rate (10%) and high epidemic potential.
Patients are often subject to fever and muscle pain. They can also suffer nausea or vomiting. Finally, the appearance of purple tasks in the skin is a sign of infection worsening and requires treatment with antibiotics and emergency hospitalization. In case of symptoms, it is essential to consult a doctor in an emergency or call on day 15.
Source: BFM TV
