Vietnam reports meningococcal infections are increasing sharply

According to the country’s surveillance system, since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has recorded 95 meningococcal disease cases, a significant increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Several deaths have been confirmed in Bac Ninh and Ho Chi Minh City. In the South alone, 27 cases have been recorded, including children who went into septic shock upon admission.

Caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, the disease can attack the bloodstream and meninges, causing patients to deteriorate rapidly within hours.

Experts warn that many people are complacent because the initial symptoms are very subtle.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Quang Thai, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control, Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the disease consistently ranks among the highest-risk groups due to its rapid mortality rate. Without timely treatment, the mortality rate can reach 50% within 24-48 hours. Even with intensive treatment, the figure remains at 8-15%. Approximately 20% of survivors suffer lifelong neurological or physical sequelae.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have witnessed a strong resurgence of invasive meningococcal disease due to changing epidemiology and vaccination disruptions.

In clinical practice, Dr. Do Thien Hai noted that most patients are admitted late because the initial symptoms are only fever, fatigue, and headache. Parents often think their children have a common cold and don’t take them for examination. However, just a few hours later, the bacteria can cause sepsis, altered consciousness, seizures, and multiple organ failure.

The incubation period ranges from 2 to 10 days, but once the disease starts, it progresses hourly. Some characteristic signs such as necrotic purpura, stiff neck, neck pain, or confusion often appear when the disease is severe. This is why early diagnosis is extremely difficult, especially at the primary care level, where specialized testing is limited.

Dr. Nguyen An Nghia, Deputy Head of the Infectious Diseases and Neurology Department at Children’s Hospital 1 (Ho Chi Minh City), said that many patients are already in a very severe state of septic shock upon admission. “Even with correct and timely treatment, the mortality rate remains at 10-15%. With sepsis, this rate can reach up to 40%,” he said. This is a disease that “progresses by the hour,” so any delay has very serious consequences.

Proactive disease prevention through vaccination is currently the most effective solution, health officials note.

Dr. Nguyen An Nghia emphasized the need to use vaccines that cover all serotypes A, B, C, W, and Y to provide broad protection against the risk of outbreaks. Children under 5 years old, especially those under 2, and adolescents aged 11-18 should be vaccinated early due to their high incidence rate.

Besides vaccination, basic preventive measures such as covering the mouth when coughing, maintaining hand hygiene, limiting close contact when respiratory symptoms are present, and taking children to the doctor early if any unusual signs appear are all important.

Amidst the rapidly increasing number of cases, unpredictable progression, and high mortality rate, the message emphasized by experts is early detection, avoiding complacency, and ensuring full vaccination to minimize the risk of death and long-term complications.