Meningitis means swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord, and is an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal chord. It may be caused by infection with vira, bacteria or other microorganisms and less commonly by certain drugs. The meningococcal bacteria 6 most common strands are  A, B, C, W, X & Y.

Hans died from meningococcal Septicaemia (blood poisoning) caused by the strand W-135.

Medical practitioners wanting to improve their neonatal Meningitis diagnostic and treatment skills, can take a  45 minutes e-Learning course here, developed by Meningitis Research Foundation.

Vaccines give excellent protection, but cannot yet prevent all types, and different vaccines for different types are available in different countries of the world. Click for some information about the vaccine programmes in the UK and Ireland.

A summary of meningitis and septicaemia symptoms can be found here.

You can also check the Meningitis Research Foundation information page about meningitis, septicaemia and their symptoms, and if you suspect you or someone else have meningitis or septicaemia get get medical help immediately, as urgent treatment is critically important.

Meningitis Research Foundation has a whole section with resources for health professionals that can be accessed for free here

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