Are you planning to spend the weekend at Baguio? Or are you having second thoughts (just like me) because of the recent scare caused by a tongue-twister illness, Meningococcemia?

To avoid paranoia, I tried to search for the disease in the net, and here's what I found: Please share this info with your friends.

Background:

Meningococcal disease is a communicable infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis. It is transmitted from person to person via respiratory secretions. N meningitidis infection can be clinically polymorphic. The most common disease presentation is meningitis. Rarely, N meningitidis infection may manifest as chronic meningococcemia that resembles the arthritis-dermatitis syndrome of gonococcemia; however, acute meningococcal septicemia (also called meningococcemia) is the most devastating form of the disease.

Meningococcemia can kill more rapidly than any other infectious disease. Early recognition is critical to implement prompt antibiotic therapy and supportive care. Treatment must be instituted rapidly because irreversible shock and death may occur within hours of the onset of symptoms. Cutaneous manifestations in meningococcemia may be important clues to the diagnosis. Skin involvement can be the most dramatic aspect of the disease and is often the first sign that leads to the clinical consideration of meningococcemia.

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