Director, Emergency Services, Bikur Cholim Hospital
Meningitis is an infection of the covering of the brain. Its
proximity to the brain makes it especially dangerous.
Bacterial meningitis can be caused by many bacteria, but
three types make up the majority of cases. One of these types
has a vaccine, and it particularly strikes dormitories and
other places where people congregate. Another type likes
infants.
The big problem is that the disease can be lethal and kill
fast, and is often missed in its early stages.
Classic meningitis symptoms are a high fever, stiff neck,
pain upon looking at lights, a rash, and collapse of the
cardiovascular system. The poisons in the blood can cause
gangrene as well.
But not all bacterial meningitis as so stormy, and not all
meningitis has all the signs we just mentioned. Children less
than one year old may show few if any signs, and this is why
pediatricians do so many spinal taps, which is the way this
disease is diagnosed. Fortunately, the disease is
uncommon.
Its viral counterpart is much more common, and much less
serious. In Israel they commonly admit patients with viral
meningitis to the hospital, but almost all do well. In the
USA they often send them home to recover.
Encephalitis is an infection of the brain itself. Herpes is
the most common and treatable cause, but this is a terrible
disease that can lead to brain abscess.
Both of the diseases leave the patients incapacitated if they
survive.
One type of encephalitis is spread by mosquitoes. This is one
of many diseases spread by mosquitoes. Malaria and yellow
fever are some others. So it is worthwhile having public
health authorities kill them and wipe out their breeding
areas.
What about bird flu? As the season has changed, this disease
has fallen from the headlines. In truth, many diseases are
spread by birds, including psittacosis, Q fever, and
others.
Children should never play with dead or injured birds (or any
such animal for that matter). Your children may not, but
Israeli children often do.
There is no danger in preparing a commercially prepared
slaughtered chicken, but do wash your hands afterwards.
Turtles can spread disease as well, and are not toys if they
are found in the wild. Cats are not a toy either, and can
cause cat scratch fever, rabies and cellulitis. They scratch
and bite.
Dogs are wild and dangerous in Israel. They may interbreed
with wolves or hyenas, making them even more dangerous. If
you see a pack, contact the animal control officers. In
Kiryat Sefer foreign workers often adopt them, but they are
dangerous.
Petting zoos are usually disease free, but children should
again wash their hands. They should not torment the animals
of course, nor stick their hands in the animals' mouths.
Write me in care of Yated.
