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World Meningitis Day

19.04.10 

A HARD-HITTING warning about the dangers of killer disease meningitis has been issued to coincide with World Meningitis Day this Saturday, April 24. 

The three leading UK meningitis charities have united to send a clear message to the public - make sure all children are vaccinated and that the full range of symptoms are known because the disease can kill in under four hours.

Meningitis UK, Meningitis Trust and Meningitis Research Foundation say the brain bug kills more under-fives than any other infectious disease in this country and up to 500,000 people living in the UK have had either viral or bacterial meningitis.

Around 300 people die from the disease each year and six families a week face the devastation of losing a loved-one.

The charities are all members of the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO), which has organised World Meningitis Day on April 24 to increase public awareness.

A new pneumococcal vaccine, Prevenar 13, was introduced into the Childhood Immunisation Programme this month, protecting against 13 strains of the disease, compared to the previous vaccine which covered seven. This is in addition to the existing Hib and Meningitis C vaccines which have saved thousands of lives.

Menveo ®▼, a new vaccine licenced in March, protects against four strains of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia for those travelling to high-risk countries such as parts of Africa and Saudi Arabia, and may well have a wider use in the UK too.

Despite the success of these vaccines, the UK public surveillance agencies report that there are still around 3,000 cases of life-threatening bacterial meningitis and septicaemia every year.

And there is as yet no vaccine for Meningitis B, which is the most common strain in this country.

Steve Dayman, the Chief Executive of Meningitis UK who lost his son Spencer to the disease, said: "Great advances have been made in the past few decades and World Meningitis Day is an opportunity to remind people of the importance of vaccine uptake and symptoms recognition.

"Together we can help raise awareness, share knowledge and fund research in the hope that one day families will be spared the heartache of losing a loved one to this devastating disease."

Hundreds of people in this country die from bacterial meningitis each year and those who survive are often left with after-effects including deafness, blindness, cerebral palsy, limb loss (where septicaemia is involved), learning difficulties, memory issues and behavioural problems.

Sue Davie, Chief Executive of the Meningitis Trust, added: "For every individual across the UK who has had meningitis, there are many more who are living with the impact of the disease right now, and for many, their lives have changed forever.

"We hope World Meningitis Day will show them that they are not alone and that meningitis organisations across the world are working together to help save lives and rebuild futures."

Meningitis does not discriminate and can affect anyone, of any age, at any time.

Those most at risk are children under the age of five, those aged between 15 and 19, and people over 65.

Chris Head, Chief Executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, said: "Meningitis and septicaemia are global killers, affecting thousands of people every year in the UK and millions more around the globe.

"There are now several vaccines that protect against these diseases so we need to improve global access to them; but there is still more work to be done.

"We strive to develop a Meningitis B vaccine, and to raise awareness of symptoms, so that treatment can be sought swiftly and effectively. This way we hope to stop more people dying or being left with life altering after effects."

There are also believed to be more than 6,000 cases of viral meningitis in the UK every year. Viral meningitis is rarely life-threatening, although it can leave people with debilitating after-effects.

It is hoped people around the globe will join hands to mark World Meningitis Day and draw attention to the disease and its life changing after-effects.

In the UK this will be through a virtual joining of hands on www.comoonline.org. For further information, or to make a donation, visit www.meningitisuk.org, www.meningitis-trust.org or www.meningitis.org.

Would you like to tell your story to help us raise awareness on World Meningitis Day? If so, please contact Media Manager Philippa Walker.