The infectious agent I chose was Meningococcal meningitis “A bacteria of meningitis, a serious infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.” (http://www.who.int/) There was a recent outbreak reported in June of this year in Chicago. I wanted to pick this due to how close it is to my home, not enough to spread this close to me, still I was recently in Chicago and it was interesting to see how a place that big could have been infected so easily. “Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis (also known as meningococcus). Most cases of meningococcal meningitis occur in children and teens.” (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/) Because of the cases mostly occur in children and teens it will lead to a greater chance of it occurring in adulthood as well. Outbreaks occur when there are large amount of people in an area most commonly colleges, boarding schools, or even military bases. The infectious agent is transmitted easy enough that a single case or even two can result in an outbreak in a dense enough area. “Meningococcal disease is spread from person to person by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions (saliva or spit) during close (for example, coughing or kissing) or lengthy contact, especially if living in the same household. Thankfully, these bacteria are not as contagious as germs that cause the common cold or the flu. People in the same household, roommates, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions, such as a boyfriend or girlfriend, would be considered at risk of getting the infection.” (http://www.cdc.gov/) It is best to make sure that you get checkup after someone close to you has had this illness to be sure that you aren’t infected as well. Most almost everyone knows that our body’s immune system is a way to keep us healthy and get rid of bacteria and other impurities in our bodies. “It may help to think of your body as a castle. Germs like viruses, bacteria, and parasites are like hostile, foreign armies that are not normally found in your body. They try to invade your body to use its resources, and they can hurt you in the process. Your immune system is your body’s defense force. It helps keep invading germs out, or kills them if they do get into your body. The immune system keeps track of all of the substances normally found in the body. Any new substance in the body that the immune system doesn’t recognize raises an alarm, causing the immune system to attack it. Substances that cause an immune response are called antigens. The immune response can destroy anything containing the antigen, such as germs or cancer cells.” (http://www.cancer.org/) So in a sense our body is fighting everything that is foreign that might seem harmful to your own body; though it doesn’t mean that you won’t experience the symptoms. The most common symptoms are a “stiff neck, high fever, sensitivity to light, confusion, headaches and vomiting.” (http://www.who.int/) Though even if caught early and people are given treatment “5% to 10% of patients die, typically within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms.” (http://www.who.int/) There is other more severe occurrences can happen “Bacterial meningitis may result in brain damage, hearing loss or a learning disability in 10% to 20% of survivors. A less common but even more severe (often fatal) form of meningococcal disease is meningococcal septicaemia, which is characterized by a haemorrhagic rash and rapid circulatory collapse.” (http://www.who.int/) The symptoms tend to show after a couple days between three days to a week after being exposed to it If early enough treatment is given most people tend to recover but death is always possible. “Antibiotics should be started as soon as possible. Ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly used antibiotics for meningococcal meningitis. However, penicillin in high doses is almost always effective, as well. If the patient is allergic to penicillin, (Like my mother) chloramphenicol may be used. Sometimes corticosteroids may be used, especially in children. Those in close contact with someone who has meningococcal meningitis should be given antibiotics to prevent infection; these people include: Household members, Roommates in dormitories, and those who come into close and long-term contact with an infected person.” (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/) Most doctors will also treat people that are around the patient to be sure no one else gets sick. There are many ways to prevent further outbreaks but not as many as you would think. “There are vaccines that help provide protection against all three serogroups (B, C, and Y) of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria that are commonly seen in the United States. Like with any vaccine, meningococcal vaccines are not 100% effective. This means that even if you have been vaccinated, there is still a chance you can develop a meningococcal infection.” (http://www.cdc.gov/) There is also Antibiotics that can be used to help get rid of the illness as well. Then there is always a possibility you will grow and immunity to the bacteria to help keep you from getting it again. Maintaining healthy habits, like getting plenty of rest and not coming into close contact with people who are sick, can also help. So remember to always be aware and be careful.

References

Meningococcal Disease. (2015, June 11). Retrieved August 2, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/prevention.html

Meningococcal Disease. (2015, June 11). Retrieved August 2, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/causes-transmission.html

Meningococcal meningitis. (2015). Retrieved August 2, 2015, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs141/en/

Vyas, J. (2014, August 31). Meningitis - meningococcal. Retrieved August 2, 2015, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000608.htm
What the Immune System does. (2014, September 5). Retrieved August 2, 2015, from http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/treatmenttypes/immunotherapy/immunotherapy-immune-system