African Traditional Herbal Research Clinic THE ... - Blackherbals.com

African Traditional Herbal Research Clinic
Volume 4, Issue 4 NEWSLETTER May 2009
FEATURED ARTICLES
Bacterial Meningitis: A Deadly but Preventable Disease
Victoria Porter
www.Medscape.com
Introduction
On January 26, 2004, my 19-year-old son awoke with
what I thought was a stomach virus. He had been
treated for a stomach virus just 2 months earlier, so I
felt comfortable taking care of him at home since we
still had medicine available. His nausea and fever were
controlled with Phenergan and Motrin, and he was able
to tolerate liquids. By that afternoon, he experienced
some abdominal cramping and diarrhea, which I
contributed to the virus. . . . Soon after [I had checked
on] him, my son walked into our living room and sat
down. His face was covered with bruises, and his
extremities were blue. I immediately called 911 and
waited for help to arrive. My son was conscious on our
arrival to the ER at the hospital where I work. Within
minutes, he was in full arrest. The ER doctor told me he
suspected meningococcal meningitis, and that there
had already been several cases in our area in the last
month. I had no idea, since I had never come in contact
with this deadly disease. My son died within 1 hour of
serious symptoms presenting. Imagine my shock only 2
days later to learn that there is a vaccine available. I
have talked with many people, including doctors and
nurses, who were not aware that a vaccine existed.
[Amy Necaise, RN, personal communication, May 30,
2004.]
* * *
Saturday, September 11 started the same as any other.
At around 9 AM, I was on the phone when [my son]
Aaron said his shoulder hurt and he had a headache.
He climbed into bed. . . . His temperature began to rise
and he vomited. . . . His temperature had risen to 103˚
F. . . . At the hospital, I told the admitting nurse each
symptom and said I was worried that it was meningitis.
. . . We went in to see the doctor. Again, I said
meningitis. He did a general examination. He ordered
blood tests and a chest x-ray, for pneumonia. . . . When
the results came back, he gave me a bottle of Motrin,
told us it was a virus and to come back in 3 days. . . .
As the evening wore on, I again started to worry. He
was still vomiting occasionally but was able to drink
water. The fear started to set in when he had a bowel
movement and didn't seem to notice. Then I noticed a
bruise on his neck -- not a pinprick rash, a bruise. . . .
That was it, we woke up our other son and went to the
local ER. . . . All I had to do was move the sheet and
show the bruise on his neck. We were rushed through
immediately. I laid Aaron gently on the bed, keeping
hold of his hand. That was the last time I saw him alive.
. . . I truly believe that Aaron died not just from
meningitis but also from ignorance. We have to get the
message out. This is real, it is killing and maiming our
children. I thought I was protected because I knew the
symptoms. That only helps if the doctors know them,
too. [1]
These scenarios -- heartbreakingly similar to hundreds
of thousands of other meningitis cases with fatal
outcomes -- are devastating. Adding to the tragedy is the
fact that these deaths could have been avoided -- either
through vaccination or by accurate diagnosis and rapid
intervention. With almost 8000 cases and 2000 deaths
occurring annually in the United States, bacterial
meningitis represents a significant source of morbidity
and mortality.[2]
According to a World Health Organization estimate,
about 171,000 people worldwide die from bacterial
meningitis each year. Even with antimicrobial treatment,
fatality rates are as high as 5% to 10% in the developed
world. The incidence and mortality rates are much
higher in third-world countries. Between 10% and 20%
of those who do survive bacterial meningitis suffer
permanent damage such as mental retardation, deafness,
or epilepsy.[3]
And yet, many people -- patients and healthcare workers
alike -- are only vaguely aware of the signs and
symptoms of this deadly disease. As the nurses reporting
the above cases emphasized, awareness and recognition
of this lethal disease must improve, and the healthcare
industry must step up its prevention efforts by getting
the word out about vaccination. Continued on page 7
6--Traditional African Clinic – May 2009