Meningococcal meningitis, pneumococcal septicemia, and dengue fever have high mortality rates and leave many sequelae, requiring priority in prevention.
Dr. Nguyen Le Nga, Medical Manager of VNVC Vaccination System, said that some infectious diseases can cause patients to die very quickly from the onset of symptoms. The disease can become serious within just 24 hours or leave severe sequelae after recovery. Doctor Nga listed 4 diseases and proactive prevention measures for people.
Meningococcal meningitis
Meningococcal meningitis is a condition in which the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord become inflamed due to meningococcal bacteria. The bacteria are transmitted through the respiratory tract, droplets, and close contact, and can cause rapid death within 4-24 hours after the first symptoms.
The death rate from meningococcal meningitis is up to 50% when not treated promptly. If treated, the mortality rate is reported to be around 20%. The disease also leaves many difficult-to-recover sequelae for those who recover, such as amputations of limbs, deafness, blindness, intellectual impairment…
Illustration of a serious patient with meningococcal meningitis. Image: PhotoAC
Meanwhile, the initial symptoms of meningococcal meningitis are similar to common respiratory infections, such as cough, fever, headache, vomiting, and nausea. Therefore, the disease is difficult to identify early, and it is easy to miss the golden time for treatment.
The effective way to prevent meningococcal disease is vaccination. Vietnam currently has three types of meningococcal vaccines, which can be given to people as young as two months old and are 95% effective in prevention. Doctor Nga recommends that people combine vaccination with mouth and throat hygiene, wear masks, keep distance when going to crowded places, regularly wash hands with soap… to prevent disease.
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Cholera is a disease transmitted through the fecal-oral route by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with pathogens. When entering the body, cholera attacks the small intestine causing acute diarrhea, uncontrolled vomiting and rapid dehydration. If not treated promptly, the patient can die within a few hours.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 1.3-4 million cholera cases globally each year, with 21,000-143,000 deaths. Currently, the disease can be prevented with a vaccine, administered orally to people as young as two years old. In addition, people should pay attention to hygienic food, do not drink water, spoiled or contaminated food… to avoid getting sick.
Using clean water helps reduce the risk of cholera infection. Image: PAC
Severe dengue fever
Dengue fever is one of the most common mosquito-borne diseases in humans. In Vietnam, the disease appears sporadically all year round, with the peak usually occurring in July-November. Since the beginning of 2024, the Ministry of Health has recorded more than 16,000 cases of dengue fever, with 1 death.
Patients with severe dengue fever have a critical period that occurs within about 3-7 days from the first symptom appearance. The patient will have severe abdominal pain, continuous vomiting, bleeding gums, tooth roots, vomiting blood, rapid breathing… If not treated promptly, the patient may experience plasma leakage leading to dengue shock. blood, or fluid accumulation leading to respiratory failure. Patients may experience bleeding and severe organ damage.
Currently, dengue vaccine has been used in several countries around the world. Vietnam does not have this type of vaccine yet. In 2023, VNVC Vaccination System signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Takeda Group, the dengue vaccine manufacturer, opening up hope of bringing this vaccine to Vietnam soon.
The most optimal way to prevent dengue fever today is still not to be bitten by mosquitoes, avoid stagnant ponds, sleep under mosquito nets, wear long-sleeved shirts, and high socks when going to places where there is a risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.
Pneumococcal sepsis
Pneumococcus is the leading cause of pneumonia and meningitis. When entering the bloodstream, pneumococcus can cause sepsis that can be fatal within 12 hours. Studies of sepsis generally estimate a 7.6% decrease in survival for each hour of delay in treatment.
Pneumococcal bacteria are transmitted through the respiratory tract. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that from 5 to 90% of people carrying pneumococcus have no symptoms, making this a source of infection that is difficult to control.
Therefore, vaccination is a highly effective way to prevent disease and reduce pneumococcal infection. Pneumococcal vaccine is given to children from 2 months of age and adults, and can be given as early as 6 weeks.
In addition, everyone needs to apply general respiratory disease prevention measures such as wearing masks, keeping distance when going to crowded places, mouth and throat hygiene, personal hygiene and living environment.