Meningitis outbreak: Incubation period is longer than first thought
“Based on analysis of Tennessee patients, a range for development of symptoms is six to 42 days — and “some experts believe vigilance for up to three months will be necessary,” Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner said.
That recommendation comes out of an “abundance of caution,” he said.
Previously, the incubation period had been estimated at two to 28 days
I think at least half of all Minnesotans may have been infected with this brain disorder.
it would explain a lot.
I spent a week in quaranteen with meningitus in 1988. Actually died and came back again. It was the most painful experience in my life as it felt as though someone had both my eyes in a vise and were squeezing them to make them pop. Felt as though my head was going to explode. I would never wish this experience on anyone.
There are several types of meningitus. Some bacterial, some viral, and now fungal is in the news. Here are the comments on the three from web MD:
Bacterial Meningitis
Bacterial meningitis is an extremely serious illness that requires immediate medical care. If not treated quickly, it can lead to death within hours — or lead to permanent damage to the brain and other parts of the body.
Bacterial meningitis is caused by any one of several bacteria. Neisseria meningitidis or “meningococcus” is common in children and young adults, and Streptococcuspneumoniae or “pneumococcus” is another common cause in children and adults. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was a common cause of meningitis in infants and young children until the Hib vaccine was introduced for infants. Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae account for most of the bacterial meningitis cases in the U.S. Vaccines are available for both Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. They’re recommended for all children and adults at special risk.
The bacteria can spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing. If you are around someone who has bacterial meningitis, contact your doctor to ask what steps you need to take to avoid infection.
In many instances, bacterial meningitis develops when bacteria get into the bloodstream from the sinuses, ears, or other part of the upper respiratory tract. The bacteria then travel through the bloodstream to the brain.
Viral Meningitis
Viral meningitis is more common than the bacterial form and generally — but not always — less serious. It can be triggered by a number of viruses, including several that can cause diarrhea.
People with viral meningitis are much less likely to have permanent brain damage after the infection resolves. Most will recover completely.
Fungal Meningitis
Fungal meningitis is much less common than the other two infectious forms. Fungus-related meningitis is rare in healthy people. However, someone who has an impaired immune system is more likely to become infected with this form of meningitis.
A question I have is:
If a blood donor gives blood and unknowingly has the virus, is that blood contaminated?
I’ve been researching the fungi that is causing the meningitis and found that it is normally found in the soil and that it causes corn root rot and corn leaf blight. Wouldn’t it be odd if this new strain resulted from a common fungi interacting with the genetically modified corn plants thus causing new symptoms in humans. Total unfounded speculation on my part as it was just a thought that came to me while researching it.
Political OUCH!
That is not all that Massachusetts is contributing though. Tragically, a Framingham, Mass.-based compounding pharmacy has distributed Meningitis-contaminated steroid syringes that have killed 14 and sickened 184 Americans.
And now the State’s politics and the purveyor of those killer syringes are intersecting. That’s because on September 4, the Senate candidate, Scott Brown, received a $10,000 campaign contribution at the Southborough, Mass. home of Gregory Conigliaro, a co-owner of New England Compounding Center (NECC) — a so-called compounding pharmacy that was sending “controlled substances to clinics, veterinarians, and other health facilities,” according to the Boston Globe.
That $10,000 came six weeks after Brown co-signed a July 24 letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that argued in favor of “a top legislative priority of the compounding pharmacy industry,” according to the Globe. Brown’s campaign claimed it would donate that $10,000 to the Meningitis Foundation of America a week after the Meningitis-infected needles were traced to NECC.
I’m betting the tainted ingredients are from China and purchased by unregulated pharmaceutical entities. This will be buried as soon as conveniently possible.