Bacterial meningitis leaves neurological sequelae in one-third of patients.
Children who contract the infection are at higher risk of developing cognitive, auditory, and motor problems, among others. The vaccine is highly effective in preventing the disease.
By Gabriela Cupani, from the Einstein Agency - About one-third of children who have had bacterial meningitis experience neurological sequelae, such as cognitive, auditory, and motor impairments, reveals a new study by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. published in JAMA.
Bacterial meningitis can affect people of any age, but it is more common in children and adolescents. Even with early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic treatment, it can progress rapidly. According to experts interviewed by Agência Einstein, it is not always possible to prevent severe cases, which can leave permanent sequelae and even cause the patient's death. However, according to the authors of the research, studies on the long-term consequences are lacking.
After analyzing data from more than 36 volunteers over 35 years, it was found that those who contracted the infection in childhood had a higher risk of experiencing motor, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems, seizures, and hearing and visual loss compared to the general population.
“Many problems don’t appear immediately. The cognitive sequelae in children who became ill very young, for example, are only known in the long term,” says infectious disease specialist Alfredo Gilio, coordinator of the Immunization Clinic at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital. “The advantage of this study is that it is very statistically robust, with a large number of cases and long-term follow-up.”
The research also showed that the younger the child contracts the disease, the greater the risk of long-term effects. According to the authors, this can be explained by the severity of the damage to the nervous system in the early stages of physical and mental development.
Among the bacteria that cause meningitis, the Streptococcus pneumoniae It was the most strongly associated with motor, cognitive, and hearing impairments, compared to infections by Haemophilus influenzae e Neisseria meningitidis (responsible for meningitis C, one of the most prevalent in Brazil).
The study's results reinforce the importance of vaccination. "Vaccines have a high protection rate, nearing 100%, and are essential to prevent the disease and, therefore, avoid its long-term effects," says Gilio.
The public health system offers vaccines against all of these bacteria that cause meningitis. According to the Ministry of Health's schedule, the pneumococcal vaccine, which prevents infections by... S pneumoniaeThe vaccine should be given at 2 and 4 months, plus a booster at 12 months. During this same age range, the child should also receive the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against diseases caused by... Haemophilus influenzae and others, such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. This vaccine has a third dose at 6 months.
The meningococcal C vaccine should be given in two doses, at 3 and 5 months, with a booster at 1 year of age. Adolescents between 11 and 14 years old can receive the ACWY vaccine, which protects against these four serotypes of meningococcal meningitis. The meningococcal B vaccine is also available in the private sector.
warning signs
Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes that line the brain. Warning signs include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, red spots on the body, sensitivity to light, and mental confusion.
When caused by a virus, the disease is usually not serious and does not leave lasting effects. However, meningoencephalitis, inflammations that affect the brain, are serious and can cause death. They can be caused by various agents, such as viruses, bacteria, and even parasites. Treatment depends on the cause.