In England reported a abrupt increase in meningococcal meningitis, especially among Kent University students in Canterbury. This illness belongs to the most dangerous bacterial infections as it develops very rapidly and in a short time can lead to severe neurological complications and even death. The first symptoms are non-specific and match a simple viral infection – fever, headache or general weakness appears – which makes it importantly more hard to recognise and respond quickly.
An outbreak of meningitis broke out in England. respective cases of infections have been confirmed so far, and 2 people have died, causing serious concern among residents and sanitation services. It is peculiarly worrying that the illness is spreading in the environment of young, previously healthy people, which differs from a typical epidemiological picture. For this reason, the UK wellness services specify the situation as different and requiring a detailed investigation.
British wellness services have taken decisive action to control the situation. These include protective vaccinations, preventive administration of antibiotics to contact persons and careful monitoring of fresh cases. It is crucial to rapidly break the transmission chain, due to the fact that it is the pace of consequence that determines the scale of the epidemic.
The current situation reminds us that infectious diseases are inactive a real threat, even in countries with developed wellness systems. Globalisation, human mobility and changing social conditions make epidemics appear abruptly and make very dynamically. Therefore, preventive action, wellness education and the fast consequence of institutions liable for epidemiological safety are so important.
One of the key elements of the analysis is to effort to establish the alleged patient zero, the first individual to start the chain of infections. Preliminary findings point to the association of many cases with a social event at 1 of the nightclubs in Canterbury, where students of abroad origin gathered. This kind of place is conducive to the transmission of bacteria by droplet, especially with advanced concentration of people and close physical contact.
In epidemiological practice, the concept of a single "patient zero" to analyse the alleged supertransmission events is increasingly abandoned. In specified situations, the illness spreads rapidly not due to the fact that 1 individual is highly contagious, but due to the fact that conditions favour the fast transmission of the pathogen to many people at the same time. An additional obstacle is the fact that meningococcates can be present in the human body without causing symptoms, which means that the host unwittingly infects others.
The current situation in England falls within the broader context of the epidemiological developments observed in Europe in fresh years. The return of infectious diseases that have previously been uncommon or well controlled is increasing. Among them are measles, tuberculosis and pertussis. The abrupt return to Europe of illness combated on the continent decades ago is associated with a massive influx of immigrants from the 3rd planet (Africa, Asia, Ukraine).
The public debate avoids indicating the link between immigration and transmission of old diseases. In fact, migration affects the epidemiological structure of the population, especially if it concerns regions with another infectious diseases or lower levels of vaccination. This applies, for example, to any cases of tuberculosis or parasitic diseases. However, it should be stressed that the hazard of spreading diseases depends primarily on wellness conditions, the individual hygiene of migrants and the effectiveness of the monitoring system, and not solely on the fact of migration.
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