Meningitis is a potentially fatal inflammation of the meninges, the thin, membranous covering of the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis is most commonly caused by infection (by bacteria, viruses, or fungi), although it can also be caused by bleeding into the meninges, cancer, diseases of the immune system, and an inflammatory response to certain types of chemotherapy or other chemical agents.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) confirmed the presence of the Naegleria fowleri ameba in the St. Bernard Parish Water System at the site of a leaking sampling station. The water system, which serves 44,000 residents in St. Bernard Parish, was tested by DHH as part of the State’s new public drinking water … Read more
Review Article Describes Epidemiology, Characteristics and Prevention of West Nile Virus – Researchers conducted a review of the medical literature and national surveillance data to examine the ecology, virology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, prevention, and control of West Nile virus.
CDC Responds to Multistate Outbreak of Fungal Meningitis and Other Infections — Fungal meningitis outbreak in US – 404 cases – Nine more people have been diagnosed with fungal meningitis in an outbreak linked to tainted steroid injections, health officials reported today. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has increased the tally of cases to 404 in 19 states.
Fungal meningitis outbreak grows worse in US — Mold seen in 83 vials of the steroid linked to fungal meningitis outbreak — Compounding pharmacy linked to meningitis outbreak knew of mold, bacteria contamination – More than 300 people who received a tainted steroid sold by NECC that was used to treat back pain have been infected with fungal meningitis and 25 have died.
Fungal meningitis outbreak in US due to NECC contaminated epidural steroid injection – A multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis among patients who received an epidural steroid injection with a potentially contaminated product has been notified in USA. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are currently coordinating the investigation of this outbreak of fungal meningitis.
Changing epidemiology of rare disease links sinus irrigation with contaminated tap water, 2 deaths — Cases highlight importance of using appropriately treated water for nasal irrigation – When water containing the Naegleria fowleri ameba, a single-celled organism, enters the nose, the organisms may migrate to the brain, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a very rare?but usually fatal?disease.
Think locally when treating individually — A population perspective can improve individual patient care and clinical decision making for communicable diseases – By taking local biosurveillance data into account when assessing patients for communicable diseases, doctors may be able to make better diagnostic decisions, according to researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston. For instance, in the case of strep throat, awareness of local epidemiology at the time of diagnosis could help more than 166,000 people avoid unnecessary antibiotic treatment in the United States every year and catch more than 62,000 missed cases.
FDA approves the first vaccine to prevent meningococcal disease in infants and toddlers – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the use of Menactra in children as young as 9 months for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y and W-135. Menactra already is approved for use in people ages 2 through 55 years.
Pneumococcal vaccine offers protection to HIV-infected African adults in clinical trial – A clinical trial of a vaccine against a major cause of pneumonia and meningitis has shown that it can prevent three out of four cases of re-infection in HIV-infected adults in Africa.
Lyme disease is spreading in Canada, and physicians are crucial in helping minimize its impact – Lyme disease is emerging in Canada, and is expected to increase with climate change, but effective, enhanced surveillance and clinician awareness will be key to minimizing the impact of the disease, write researchers in a review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
