Thursday, August 27, 1998 Published at 11:05 GMT 12:05 UK
Health
GPs get help to diagnose killer
disease
Meningitis causes GPs major concern
A new meningitis information pack has been launched to help doctors and
nurses diagnose the potentially life threatening disease.
The National Meningitis Trust has developed the new pack following
research showing GPs fear they may confuse meningitis symptoms with
those of influenza, particularly in young children, who are most at risk.
There has been an increase in the number of cases of the most
dangerous form of the disease - meningococcal meningitis.Several high
profile outbreaks have occured at UK universities.
Comprehensive data
The pack, drawn up with the help of leading experts in the field, provides
health professionals with the most comprehensive and up-to-date data yet
on meningitis and blood poisoning caused by the disease.
It is anticipated that the pack, which includes a video and slides, will be
used in medical and nursing schools, as a reference document for doctors
and a source of information for patients.
Update knowledge
Anne-Marie Delrosa, campaigns
manager at the National Meningitis
Trust, said: "We know that very often
there is little time devoted to
meningitis in the education of health
professionals.
"This resource will give them the latest
information to reinforce their
knowledge.
"It will also be a tool they can use to
teach their colleagues. We shall
update it as medical knowledge
progresses so that it can be kept as a
continuing reference."
GPs appreciate help
Dr George Rae, chairman of the British Medical Association's GP
prescribing sub-committee, welcomed the new pack.
He said: "Everybody, not least GPs, is aware that meningitis is about
almost all of the time, and the vast majority of GPs of GPs are always alert to
the possibility.
"But meningitis is on many occasions very, very difficult to diagnose and
any sort of help we can have would be appreciated."
Dr Douglas Fleming, director of the Royal College of General Practitioners
research unit in Birmingham, said: "The earlier you see a patient in an
illness, the more difficult it is to make a diagnosis.
"Particularly in young children the onset of feverish illnesses are so similar
that it is only when further symptoms begin to manifest themselves that
diagnosis becomes easier. Doctors will think of the simple things first."
Killer bacteria
There are two main forms of meningitis - viral and bacterial.
One in 10 patients die of bacterial meningitis and one in seven are
permanently disabled.
The most common cause of bacterial meningitis is the meningococcal form
which causes two types of illness - meningitis and septicaemia.
Meningococcal disease is the biggest killer of young children in the UK
after cot death.
Characteristic signs are often absent in young children, making it difficult
to diagnose.
Meningitis should be suspected in all patients with headache, fever and
neck stiffness.
If meningococcal disease is suspected, benzyl penicillin should be
administered promptly and the patient should be taken to hospital.
Viral meningitis is rarely deadly but can have long-term effects including
headaches, depression and lack of energy.
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