PD Kim Tae-ho, the producer of the popular entertainment programs such as Infinite Challenge, recently revealed his experience with meningitis on the YouTube channel ‘Fairy Jaehyung’. He described his symptoms, stating that he felt irritation in his brain and experienced pain and heat in his eyes, as if lasers were coming out. Notably, actors Yoon Kye-sang and Go Kyung-pyo also shared their battles with meningitis in the past.
While meningitis is commonly seen in children with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses, cases of meningitis among adults are gradually increasing. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, in 2021, there were more cases of meningitis reported among individuals in their 20s and 30s compared to teenagers. Professor Soo-hyun Park from Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital emphasized that anyone with a weakened immune system can be susceptible to meningitis.
Meningitis is a condition characterized by the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, known as the meninges. It is caused by the infiltration of pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, into the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid, resulting in infection and inflammation. This inflammation can lead to various abnormal symptoms as it stimulates and compresses the brain and spinal cord.
Early symptoms of meningitis are similar to those of a common cold, including fever and headache. In some cases, gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and abdominal pain may also occur, leading to misdiagnosis as a gastrointestinal ailment. In severe cases, stiffness of the neck and difficulty moving the head properly, as well as fainting due to vomiting and high fever, can be observed. Professor Park highlighted that meningitis should be suspected when fever and headache persist without any specific reason.
Meningitis is categorized into two main types: aseptic meningitis, caused by viral infiltration, and bacterial meningitis, caused by bacterial infection. The most common cause of aseptic meningitis is the enterovirus, accounting for over 80% of all cases. Bacterial meningitis can occur when bacteria enter the cerebrospinal fluid through the blood-brain barrier or spread from infections in the skull base or middle ear. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Hemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis are the primary bacteria causing bacterial meningitis, with different age groups having varying susceptibility to each type. Notably, the availability of vaccinations has led to a significant decrease in meningitis cases caused by influenza bacteria.
When meningitis is suspected, a cerebrospinal fluid test is conducted to identify the causative bacteria. If bacteria are found, appropriate antibiotics should be promptly administered. Bacterial meningitis has a mortality rate of 10-15%, higher than that of influenza or COVID-19. It can also cause severe and permanent disabilities such as intellectual functioning impairment, memory loss, and hearing or limb loss. People with weakened immune systems, particularly infants and the elderly, are at higher risk and should take precautions.
For aseptic meningitis, providing fluids and alleviating symptoms such as fever, headache, and abdominal pain through rest are usually sufficient. However, if the possibility of bacterial meningitis cannot be completely ruled out or cerebrospinal fluid examination is not possible, immediate antibiotic administration is recommended.
The most effective preventive measure against meningitis is vaccination. Individuals over the age of 65 should receive vaccinations against pneumococcal, meningococcal, and Haemophilus influenzae. General adults and high-risk groups with reduced immunity should also consider getting vaccinated. Meningitis primarily spreads through respiratory secretions, such as saliva and nasal mucus, from an infected person. It is contagious before and after symptom onset. Interestingly, the prevalence of meningitis decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due to increased personal hygiene practices like hand washing and mask-wearing.
In order to prevent meningitis and other infectious diseases, maintaining thorough personal hygiene, including vaccination and hand washing, is crucial. Professor Park emphasized the importance of preventive measures for this condition.
Reporter Park Jeong-ryeol of Money Today | 2023.09.05 15:47
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PD Kim Tae-ho of ‘What do you do when you play’ expresses his feelings after winning the Entertainment Program of the Year award at the 2021 MBC Entertainment Awards held at MBC in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul in the afternoon of the 29th. /Photo provided by MBC 2021.12.29 /Photo = Reporter Lee Dong-hoon photoguy@ PD Taeho Kim, who produced popular entertainment programs such as Infinite Challenge, recently appeared on the YouTube channel ‘Fairy Jaehyung’ and admitted that he has an irritation the brain. 30s. He said, “On the first day, the right eye, the second day, the left eye, and the third day, the heat was concentrated in both eyes and it seemed like lasers were coming out.” It hurt,” he recalled. Actors Yoon Kye-sang and Go Kyung-pyo also admitted to battling meningitis a few years ago.
Usually, meningitis is known to be common in immunocompromised children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases. However, unlike in the past, cases of meningitis in adults are gradually increasing, so caution is needed. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, in 2021, there were more meningitis patients in their 20s and 30s than teenagers. Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital Neurology Professor Soo-hyun Park said, “Anyone with a weakened immune system can get meningitis.” he said.
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Symptoms similar to those of the common cold, such as fever and headache
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The meninges are the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Between the meninges, there is cerebrospinal fluid, a fluid component, which cushions external shock. Meningitis is a disease where pathogens such as viruses and bacteria penetrate the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid, causing inflammation due to infection. This stimulates and compresses the brain and spinal cord, leading to various abnormal symptoms.
The early symptoms of meningitis are similar to those of the common cold, including fever and headache. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain are sometimes accompanied, so it is misunderstood as gastrointestinal disease. In severe cases, the neck may become stiff and unable to move the head properly, or faint due to vomiting and high fever. Professor Park said, “Meningitis with fever and headache is higher than a cold or flu.” He said, “Meningitis is not well known, but it is a relatively common disease compared to the population, so if you have a fever for nothing. special reason, you need to be suspicious.”
Meningitis is mainly divided into ‘aseptic meningitis’ caused by viral infiltration and ‘bacterial meningitis’ caused by bacteria. The most common cause of aseptic meningitis is enterovirus, which accounts for more than 80% of all cases of asexual meningitis. Japanese encephalitis virus, herpes virus, and mumps virus can also be a cause. There are several types of enterovirus, such as echovirus and coxsackie virus, and the extent of the epidemic and the intensity of symptoms appear to differ depending on the toxicity of each.
Bacterial meningitis can occur when blood-borne bacteria penetrate the blood-brain barrier and enter the cerebrospinal fluid, or when a bacterial infection spreads from the base of the skull or otitis media . The most common causes of bacterial meningitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Hemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitides. The main causative bacteria are different for each age group, but pneumococcal meningitis usually occurs in young people and after the age of 40, and meningococcal infection mainly targets children and adolescents. In 2013, meningitis caused by the influenza bacillus became available free of charge as a national mandatory vaccination, and recently it has decreased remarkably.
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Bacterial meningitis, mortality rate reaches 10-15%
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When meningitis is suspected, a cerebrospinal fluid test is performed to differentiate between the causative bacteria, and if bacteria are the problem, appropriate antibiotics should be chosen and treatment should be started in time. Samples such as nasal cavity, throat, sputum, vomit, and feces suspected to be the route of infection are cultured or tested for viruses. Bacterial meningitis is fatal enough to reach an average of 10-15% even with appropriate antibiotic treatment. It is much higher than the death rate (0.04%) of influenza (0.03-0.07%) or Corona 19 (COVID-19).
Meningitis is particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as infants and the elderly. Professor Park said, “The mortality rate of meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae is 2-5%, meningitis caused by meningococcal bacteria is 10-15%, and pneumococcal meningitis is about 30%.” “One person can experience severe and permanent disability due to brain damage, including reduced intellectual functioning, memory loss, hearing loss or hearing loss, or loss of a limb,” he warned.
On the other hand, in aseptic meningitis, it is often enough to provide fluids and relieve the patient’s symptoms such as fever, headache, and abdominal pain at rest. Professor Park emphasized, “In most cases, appropriate antibiotics are administered after brain imaging and cerebrospinal fluid examination, but if the possibility of bacterial meningitis is not completely excluded or examination cannot be carried out cerebrospinal fluid, it is safe to administer antibiotics immediately.”
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People aged 65 and over must maintain thorough personal hygiene such as vaccination and hand washing
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The most effective way to prevent meningitis is to vaccinate against the causative bacteria. In particular, vaccination against pneumococcal, meningococcal, and Haemophilus influenzae is essential for those over 65 years of age. It is good for general adults and high-risk groups, such as those with reduced immunity, to get the vaccine.
Meningitis is spread primarily through respiratory secretions such as saliva, sputum, and nasal mucus from an infected person. Meningitis is generally contagious from 1 to 2 days before symptoms appear and up to 10 days after symptoms appear. Ironically, as a result of paying attention to personal quarantine during the Corona 19 pandemic, the number of meningitis patients also decreased by less than half, from 14,305 in 2019 to 5,850 in 2020 and 4,867 in 2021. The Professor of Neurology at Seoul National University Hospital analyzed , Kim Tae-jung, “The social atmosphere of refraining from going out, washing hands, and wearing a mask had an effect on the reduction in the number of patients.”
Professor Park said, “It will be important to thoroughly manage personal hygiene in order to prevent meningitis like other infectious diseases.” Preventive treatment is also needed.”
[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
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