A deceptive, rapidly progressing and sometimes fatal disease is jeopardizing the lives of children and college students throughout America.
This silent stalker is often mistaken as the flu, but if left untreated meningitis can turn deadly. Sharing the same common bacteria (streptococcus pneumonia) found in ear infections, blood infections and pneumonia, meningitis is a serious disease process.
But good news from a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control is that childhood vaccinations for pneumococcal meningitis work. This CDC study also proves that the racial gap of meningitis, which is more prevalent among black children, has been significantly reduced due to immunization.
Let’s learn a little more about the various forms of meningitis, the symptoms of each and the treatment options available.
With all of the new health concerns blanketing the nightly news, it’s time to be reminded of a virus that had us all talking last summer. We watched as the West Nile virus spread from the East Coast in 1999, making its way to Wisconsin with a bang in 2002. One element that makes the West Nile virus unique is that it affects both humans and animals, alike. Who is safe? How can we protect our animals? What is it? Where did it come from? Will it ever go away?
Rare, But Not Universally Fatal.
In a Texas hospital, not long ago, an organ donor died after experiencing a brain hemorrhage. Compassionately, his family donated his organs to four different recipients in Texas and Arkansas. Those four people died shortly after the transplant.
Why such a tragic loss? Rabies infection.
This was the first known case of someone dying from a transplant of an organ infected with rabies, and measures have been taken to ensure the incident is not repeated. Unfortunately, this example illustrates just how dangerous rabies infections can be - to your pets and to you.
Fortunately, there are successful prevention and immunization procedures in place in the United States, and rabies deaths have been limited to one or two annually. Let’s look a little more closely at this rare disease that is universally fatal.
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When we think of a virus, the flu virus is the first that comes to mind. There are over-the-counter medications and other forms of prevention, but how do we protect ourselves from a virus when we don’t even know where it comes from or how to prevent it? The SARS virus is slowly creeping into the United States, and quickly festering itself throughout the world. Will it find its way to Wisconsin? How can we protect ourselves? What precautions do we need to take when we travel? It’s time that we all learn a little more about SARS.
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