VietNamNet Bridge – The National Tropical Diseases Hospital received a patient suffering from meningococcal disease, a rare but serious brain infection, early this week.

Nguyen Van Kinh, the 21-year- old male patient from Ha Noi's suburban district of Phu Xuyen, is the first case reported this year at the hospital. It had received a similar case in the middle of last year. — Photo danviet

According to the hospital director Nguyen Van Kinh, the 21-year- old male patient from Ha Noi's suburban district of Phu Xuyen, is the first case reported this year at the hospital. It had received a similar case in the middle of last year.

This week's patient was hospitalised with symptoms of high fever, severe headache, vomiting and red rashes. Thanks to timely diagnosis, he was isolated and given treatment. He is recovering now.

According to the World Health Organisation, meningococcal disease is a contagious disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis.

It is passed from person-to-person by contact with respiratory droplets from infected victims. Two or three out of ten people carry the bacterium, making the disease vulnerable to transmission. The symptoms include stiff neck, high fever and rashes all over the body.

The disease is considered dangerous because the onset of symptoms is sudden and death can follow within hours.

Kinh said that the fatality rate among those who suffer from the acute form of the disease could be between 60 and 70 per cent.

Doctors say that weather changes, especially in cold weather, is favourable condition for the development of the bacterium that causes the disease. Now there is a vaccine for the disease.

Source: VNS