Meningitis kills 20 Nigerian school students
A meningitis outbreak in Nigeria has killed at least 20 boarding school students and infected hundreds more, the education commissioner in northeastern Yobe state said on Wednesday.
Feb 29, 2024
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A meningitis outbreak in Nigeria has killed at least 20 boarding school students and infected hundreds more, the education commissioner in northeastern Yobe state said on Wednesday.
Feb 29, 2024
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A group of international mycology experts led by Professor Dr. Oliver A. Cornely at the University of Cologne has jointly drafted a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of cryptococcosis, which aims at improving infection ...
Feb 13, 2024
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One in three children who suffer from bacterial meningitis live with permanent neurological disabilities due to the infection. This is according to a new epidemiological study led by Karolinska Institutet and published in ...
Jan 19, 2024
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Antibiotic resistance occurs when a microorganism changes and no longer responds to an antibiotic that was previously effective. It's associated with poorer outcomes, a greater chance of death and higher health-care costs.
Nov 29, 2023
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A research project studying how best to implement "back to basics" clinical and laboratory care in public hospitals in three African countries has halved the number of deaths from HIV-linked meningitis. The results are reported ...
Oct 5, 2023
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A team of University of Minnesota Medical School researchers successfully tested a new antifungal therapy to treat fungal meningitis. The trial results were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Aug 22, 2023
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In the 2023 American post-apocalyptic drama television series "The Last of Us," humans are plunged towards extinction as a fungal infection of the brain zombie-fies most of the species. This may seem far-fetched but fungi ...
Jul 14, 2023
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The death toll has risen to six in an outbreak of fungal meningitis that's tied to surgical procedures in a city along the U.S.-Mexico border, and health officials say they have not been able to reach everyone who may be ...
Jun 27, 2023
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A trial of a new vaccine against meningococcal disease, a cause of meningitis and blood poisoning, has found that it is safe and induces a strong immune response across five strains of meningococcal bacteria: A, C, W, Y and ...
May 24, 2023
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New research suggests that the immune system's ability to respond to spinal-cord injuries diminishes with age, and identifies potential avenues to improve that response and help patients heal.
May 23, 2023
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Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs. Meningitis can be life-threatening because of the inflammation's proximity to the brain and spinal cord; therefore the condition is classified as a medical emergency.
The most common symptoms of meningitis are headache and neck stiffness associated with fever, confusion or altered consciousness, vomiting, and an inability to tolerate light (photophobia) or loud noises (phonophobia). Sometimes, especially in small children, only nonspecific symptoms may be present, such as irritability and drowsiness. If a rash is present, it may indicate a particular cause of meningitis; for instance, meningitis caused by meningococcal bacteria may be accompanied by a characteristic rash.
A lumbar puncture may be used to diagnose or exclude meningitis. This involves inserting a needle into the spinal canal to extract a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid that envelops the brain and spinal cord. The CSF is then examined in a medical laboratory. The usual treatment for meningitis is the prompt application of antibiotics and sometimes antiviral drugs. In some situations, corticosteroid drugs can also be used to prevent complications from overactive inflammation. Meningitis can lead to serious long-term consequences such as deafness, epilepsy, hydrocephalus and cognitive deficits, especially if not treated quickly. Some forms of meningitis (such as those associated with meningococci, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococci or mumps virus infections) may be prevented by immunization.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA