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Fast Fact

Bacterial meningitis can occur at any age, but 95 percent of cases are in children under 5 years old.
Boys are more likely to get it than girls.
Together, three types of bacteria account for over 90 percent of bacterial meningitis: H. influenza type b, meningococcus, and pneumococcus.
These bacteria are transmitted by person-to-person contact through respiratory secretions. Many people carry these bacteria with no serious consequence. (Pneumococcus, for instance, is the most common cause of ear infections.) A few people get very sick. Pneumococcus causes meningitis in about 3 per 100,000 people. (Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Saunders 1998)
Sudden onset meningitis features shock, internal bleeding, purple spots, and reduced consciousness at the very outset, with a rapidly progressive course often resulting in death within 24 hours.
More commonly, meningitis begins with several days of upper respiratory symptoms or gastrointestinal symptoms. Most children have high fevers, severe headaches, and poor feeding. They may also have muscle aches, nasal congestion, vomiting, neck stiffness, and seizures.
Children with meningitis become increasingly irritable and/or lethargic. The presence of petechiae (purple spots that indicate internal bleeding) is a sign that the infection may be raging out of control.
Pneumococcal meningitis is a devastating disease. Of all causes of meningitis, it is the most likely to have a negative outcome (Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, May 1993). The overuse of antibiotics is resulting in increasingly resistant strains of pneumococcus every month.
In 1991, a vaccine against the H. influenzae Type b (HIB) bacteria was incorporated into the routine immunization schedule beginning at 2 months of age. The amount of meningitis plummeted. Arkansas Children's Hospital had about 27 cases of HIB meningitis per year in the 1980's before the vaccine was used. By 1993, the number had dropped to only 1.7 per year (Southern Medical Journal, Jan 1994). During the same period the number of cases dropped by 95 percent in the United States as a whole (Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Saunders 1998).
The new pneumococcal vaccine for infants is now FDA approved and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for all children less than 2 years of age. Vaccination of children between 2 and 5 years of age may also be considered on an individual basis. In large clinical studies, the vaccine has been shown to decrease the risk of invasive pneumococcal infection (i.e. meningitis and blood infections) by more than 93%. It has also been shown to decrease the risk of pneumonia and otitis media (ear infections). More information about the vaccine can be found at www.cdc.gov/.

see Fast Facts about Meningitis »

Cystic Fibrosis

10.26.2002 Add new comment Send to friend Print this article

Related concepts:

Introduction to cystic fibrosis:

A diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was once assumed to be an early childhood death sentence. Today, the median lifespan is 30 years. Children with CF attend school normally, graduate from college, and assume their places in the adult world. Still, the shortened lifespan is painfully poignant. But treatment continues to advance rapidly. Those born with CF today may see a dramatically brighter outlook by the time they are 10 or 20 years old.

What is cystic fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition where important membrane linings do not function properly. Thickened, rubbery mucus results in blockage and infection throughout the respiratory tract. The pancreatic and bile ducts are blocked, leading to severe digestive problems. Sweat and other secretions contain increased salt.

CF is the major cause of severe chronic lung disease in children. It is also a leading cause of pancreatic problems.

Who gets cystic fibrosis?

CF is inherited as a recessive condition. Both parents must carry the recessive gene and pass the gene to their child in order to result in CF. It can occur in any ethnic group, but it is most common among those of Northern or Central European ancestry, where it affects about 1 in 3500 children.

Why is such a deadly recessive gene so common? Some theorize that carriers of the gene were protected against the ravages of cholera.

What are the symptoms of cystic fibrosis?

CF can cause a wide variety of symptoms in many organ systems.

The most prominent feature of CF is usually chronic problems with the respiratory system. This might include a chronic cough (to attempt to move the thick mucus) especially in the morning or after exertion. Children with CF might develop severe or frequent bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and/or sinusitis. Wheezing and clubbing of the fingernails are common.

Problems stemming from the GI tract are the next most common feature. This might include difficulty passing stool (especially that first meconium stool); rectal prolapse; large, smelly, greasy stools; and failure to gain weight (even with a large appetite).

Is cystic fibrosis contagious?

How long does cystic fibrosis last?

At present, CF is a lifelong condition with a median survival of about thirty years.

How is cystic fibrosis diagnosed?

CF may be diagnosed on newborn screening tests in some areas. When the diagnosis is suspected, because of family history or classic symptoms, specific testing is done. This might include a sweat chloride test, genetic testing, a nasal membrane test, or a variety of other studies.