In: Nursing
A family of four that is made up from a 2 and 8 year old plus their parents were traveling from Europe to the USA. On the way it was noticed that the 8 year old boy is having fever, headache and his head was tilting to the right in addition there was some form of rash developing on his hands and feet. Their father was feeling very fatigued with flu like symptoms that included a headache and tilting of the head with a pain in their neck. A rash was noticed on the father’s hands and some areas of his feet. The other two members of the family were doing very well. Upon arrival to the USA both the child and his father were admitted to the hospital. A spinal tap reflected the presences of Neisseria meningitidis in their CSF. The rash has spread more in the 8 year old but it is no longer showing on his father. They have all been vaccinated against this bacteria.
I. Explain the pathogenesis of the diseases in both the 8 year old and the father and why their symptoms differ.
II. Explain why the mother and the 2 year old did not have any symptoms of the disease.
III. Explain your method of treatment for both ill members and what precautions if any would take to protect the mother and the 2 year old.
Neisseriaeni meningitis is also known as meningococcus .It is a gram negative bacteria causing meningitis.
1) It usually resides in nasopharynx of human beings only.It is spread by respiratory and throat secretion.It enters the nasopharynx and resides on the mucosa>It crosses the mucosal epithelial cells>Enters the bloodstream>crosses blood brain barrier>meningitis.
The symptoms differ due to immune response of the father and child.
2)The mother and 2 year child has not got the infection might be because of minimal or no direct contact with the other two.They were also vaccinated.
3) The first line treatment for this case is Isolation to prevent transmission.
starting them with Antibiotics, because the organism spreads very rapidly in the blood and could cause sepsis and death.
24 hours of appropriate antibiotics is amust
Use personal protective devices especially mask
Precautions to be followed by mother and 2 year old are