A 28-year-old man died at the Grasse hospital center. He was infected with a strain of meningococcus type C.
About forty inhabitants of a hamlet near Grasse (Alpes-Maritimes) were taken care of this Wednesday by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) PACA. They received emergency preventive treatment after the death of one of their neighbors from meningitis overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday.
“The person, a 28-year-old man, died at the Grasse hospital center,” says the ARS. The strain is a type C meningococcus and to protect her relatives, they received prophylactic treatment with antibiotics. There is also vaccination ”.
The epidemic risk is low, given the low contagious nature of the C.
Closely watched cases
Parisian students, but also children in Brittany or Charentes-Maritimes have been affected by meningococcus. Each time, the health authorities do their best to contain the risk.
Last January, the ARS Bourgogne-Franche-Comté had indeed launched a vast vaccination information campaign, after the death at the end of 2016 of two students from the University of Burgundy. A third case, taken care of in time, had been confirmed. The same bacterial strain was concerned.
Nearly 30,000 students and university staff were then invited to be vaccinated, and more than 13,000 had answered the call, throughout the month of January. The vaccination system had been maintained until the end of March.
A fatal disease
Meningococcus is a very fragile germ that does not survive in the environment, but is transmitted through saliva. Meningitis is caused by infection and inflammation of the meninges – the membrane that surrounds the brain. It can occur at any age, but particularly affects children and adolescents.
In adults and older children, meningitis most often results in a combination of signs called “meningeal syndrome”. This typically combines a severe headache, stiff neck, high fever, intolerance to light, and nausea or vomiting. If in doubt, consult quickly.
Invasive meningococcal infections are relatively rare in France. In 2015, 469 cases were still notified, and 53 deaths were recorded, according to the National Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS).
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