Read up on Meningococcal disease treatment options at Consumer Reports Health.

Meningococcal disease

Key points about treatments

If you or your child has symptoms of meningococcal disease, it's important to get medical care immediately. Go to the emergency room or call an emergency number such as 911 right away.

This information is about treating meningitis or

septic shock
Septic shock is a serious condition caused by a large number of bacteria getting into your blood. It's also called septicaemia, sepsis or blood poisoning. Usually, when bacteria get into your blood, your immune system kills them. But if your immune system isn't working well, it can get overwhelmed. Then, the bacteria multiply and start to release poisonous chemicals (called toxins) into your blood. These chemicals cause your blood pressure to drop massively. When this happens, organs such as your brain, heart, kidneys and liver may not be able to work properly because they aren't getting enough blood. Septic shock needs to be treated urgently, usually with antibiotics, to stop these vital organs failing and to prevent death.

septicemia caused by a particular kind of bacteria (meningococcal bacteria). It doesn't apply to meningitis caused by a virus.

If doctors think you might have meningococcal disease, you'll get

antibiotics
These medications are used to help your immune system fight infection. There are a number of different types of antibiotics that work in different ways to get rid of bacteria, parasites and other infectious agents. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.

antibiotics as soon as possible. You'll probably be given antibiotics on the way to the hospital.
If you've been in very close contact with someone who has meningococcal disease, you'll usually be given antibiotics too. This is to try to keep you from getting the disease.
Having steroid injections alongside antibiotics may reduce the risk that a child will lose their hearing because of their illness.
Steroid injections may also improve an adult's chance of surviving meningitis.
We don't know whether adding steroids to antibiotics helps children or adults with meningococcal septicemia. There isn't enough research to tell us.
Vaccines can prevent some types of meningitis, but not all of them. It's recommended that all children in the United States have a vaccine against meningitis C. To read more, see Who should be vaccinated?

This information was last updated on Nov 18, 2008

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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