Research Paper

Running head: MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE 1

MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE 3

Meningococcal Disease

Student Name

Course

Date

Meningococcal Disease

Outline

I. Introduction

Meningococcal Disease is usually caused by Neisseria meningitides bacteria. The disease leads to severe blood infections. This disease attacks numerous parts of the body but when it affects the linings of the spinal cord and the brain it is called meningitis (Brandtzaeg, 2006). Meningococcal is a serious disease which strikes quickly resulting to serious complications, including death

II. Problem statement

Due to the serious complications resultant from meningococcal disease, proper and timely information should be delivered to people so as to take preventive measures and allow them to act fast when the symptoms have been detected.

III. About the Disease

a. Risk factors: Some people are at a high risk of contracting meningococcal disease. The risks involve travel, age, community setting, and certain medical conditions (Ghebrehewet, Conrad & Marsh, (2016).

b. Meningococcal vaccination: numerous vaccines can be given to children at the age of 11 to 12 years, followed by 16 to 23 year olds.

IV. Causes & transmission: The disease is causes by Neisseria Meningitides. 1 out of 10 people usually have the bacteria in the back of their nose and throat. It is given to others from throat or sharing respiratory secretions through kissing or coughing.

· Signs & symptoms: The disease present sign of like flu-illness, and can have additional signs such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, altered mental status, among others (Tsang & Taha, 2016)

· Prevention: Use of vaccines against the sero-groups associate with antibiotics (Pollard, Feavers & Cohn, 2016).

V. Diagnosis: The disease can be hard to detect because of the flu alike symptoms

VI. Treatment: Treatment mostly focus on the use of antibiotics (Nadel & Carcillo, 2016)

VII. Challenges and limitations of the study: Predicted challenges include problems identifying people who contracted the disease, and getting enough participant for the study. The limitation of the study is that some of the people with the disease die and therefore getting people who have recovered to interview them can be challenging.

VIII. Conclusion: Meningococcal Disease is usually a rare but acute bacterial infection which can result to death. Statistics have shown that more than 1,000 people contract the disease in the U.S each year.

References

Brandtzaeg, P. (2006). Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Invasive Meningococcal Disease. Handbook of Meningococcal Disease, 427-480. doi:10.1002/3527608508.ch21

Ghebrehewet, S., Conrad, D., & Marsh, G. (2016). Meningitis and meningococcal disease. Oxford Medicine Online. doi:10.1093/med/9780198745471.003.0011

Nadel, S., & Carcillo, J. (2016). Treatment of meningococcal disease. Handbook of Meningococcal Disease Management, 75-90. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28119-3_6

Pollard, A. J., Feavers, I., & Cohn, A. (2016). Prevention of meningococcal disease through vaccination. Handbook of Meningococcal Disease Management, 91-103. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28119-3_7

Tsang, R., & Taha, M. (2016). Diagnosis of meningococcal disease. Handbook of Meningococcal Disease Management, 45-55. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28119-3_4