Fatal disease often mistaken for sunburn
A new report has found that many people aren’t aware of the symptoms of meningococcal disease with many mistaking the bacterial infection for sunburn.
A national campaign is urging Australians to educate themselves of the early signs of the potentially deadly disease.
Despite being rare and treatable, meningococcal can result in death within 24 hours if it is not caught early, warned Professor Robert Booy, head of the clinical research team at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.
“Meningococcal is a dreadful disease because five to 10 per cent die, 15 to 20 per cent are left with devastating complications and it can come on in just 12 to 24 hours, and it is really important to recognise the early signs to get antibiotic treatment from the doctor,” Prof Booy told AAP.
On Tuesday, Queensland Health confirmed a Year Two student from Brisbane had been diagnosed with meningococcal disease.
The seven-year-old is receiving treatment in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
Parents were alerted by health authorities but the case is expected to be an isolated one.
James Smith, from Metro North Health Unit, told the Courier-Mail, “The chance of any further linked cases within the community is very low.”
If the disease is not treated fast enough, it can be deadly.
Last month, 19-year-old Emma-Kate McGrath from Victoria died from the disease.
Research commissioned by GlaxoSmithKline found 41 per cent of respondents were unaware of the specific symptoms.
22 per cent of respondents mistook the infection for other ailments with 2 per cent believing it was cancer, 16 per cent thought it was flu and 4 per cent thought it was sunburn.
Professor Booy says the disease will normally present itself in two forms, meningococcal septicaemia (blood poisoning) or meningococcal meningitis (In the brain and spinal cord).
The symptoms for both include having a high fever and rash which starts as small dots and increases to purple patches.
Cold hands and feet are another symptom of blood poisoning.
“The signs are a bit vague but the rash is telltale,” Prof Booy said.
He explained that in some cases the rash can come later so people should look for other symptoms and rely on their “instinct”.
Professor Mike Starr, a paediatrician and infectious disease doctor at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, says the disease can be prevented by vaccination.
The routine immunisations children receive only protect them against one of six main strains of the disease, meningococcal C.
Professor Boy explained a young child can still be susceptible to the other strains and both the W and Y strains are on the rise.
To find out more about meningococcal disease you can head to KnowMeningococcal.com.au.