Publicist Thales Marques had low immunity when he was infected with bacterial meningitis in July 2019
Thales Marchesi, 29, was shocked when he discovered he had bacterial meningitis in July 2019. The young man, born in Brasilia and currently living in the city of São Paulo, was traveling with friends when he started suffering from severe headaches , nausea, fever and diarrhea. Thinking it might be the flu or another more common illness, the publicist didn’t worry until the situation lasted 12 hours.
“We were in Guarujá [litoral de SP] when i started to feel the symptoms. I returned to São Paulo on July 1st. When I arrived at the hospital, I was already mentally confused, unable to recognize much and with a lot of headaches,” recalls Marques. At the office, the doctor did a test and saw that my neck was stiff. He left the office and I came back with masks, for everyone to use and I said I suspected meningitis, an autoinfectious disease.”
Placed in isolation, the existence of the disease was demonstrated through the collection of cerebrospinal fluid, also known as cerebrospinal fluid or cerebrospinal fluid. Shortly thereafter, he fell into a coma. Unbelievable that Thales would survive, the doctors demanded that his parents be called. Upon arrival at the hospital, they received word that the chances of survival were very slim.
But after 14 days, the publicist woke up without consequences. “When I woke up I was a little confused. I had lost 15 pounds so I had to go to therapy to walk again. During the time I was in the hospital, I was followed up with four different antibiotics, as well as other medications.”
After being discharged, the young man still needed to be off work for 15 days to recover 100%.
post bacterial meningitis
The doctors who treated Thales consider his case a real miracle. Because in addition to having survived, he had no sequelae. According to World Health Organization (WHO), one in 10 people infected with bacterial meningitis die. And one in five patients experience long-term sequelae such as seizures, hearing and vision loss, neurological damage and cognitive impairment. The disease is responsible for approximately 250,000 deaths annually.
Specialists who assisted the young man said the disease takes three to seven days to manifest itself. So, in addition to the two friends who traveled with him, all the more than 80 people who were close to him in the last week before the discovery needed to take a single dose of the drug for prevention. None showed symptoms of the disease.
Because he had low immunity, he may have contracted meningitis, both on public transport and at the music festival he recently attended.
After the illness, Thales changed his life. He started eating better, going to the gym often and playing sports. Today he is grateful for the new opportunity he has received, he complains less and undergoes checks more often.
understand the disease
According to the information of the Ministry of Health, meningitis is considered an endemic disease and can be transmitted by bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Cases of the disease are expected throughout the year, with occasional outbreaks and outbreaks.
Transmission usually occurs from person to person, through droplets and secretions from the nose and throat. But there are situations in which the transmission is fecal-oral, that is, through the ingestion of contaminated water and food and contact with feces.
The incidence of bacterial meningitis cases is more frequent between autumn and winter. Viral types of meningitis appear more during spring and summer. OR male is the most affected by the disease.
Among the main symptoms are:
- malaise
- Nausea
- vomit
- Photophobia (increased sensitivity to light)
- Altered mental state (confusion)
Over time, other more serious symptoms may appear, such as seizures, delirium, tremors, and coma.
Bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotic therapy in a hospital setting and other drugs prescribed by the doctors in charge of the case.
Vaccines and chemoprophylaxis serve to prevent the onset of the disease, which can be caused by various infectious agents. There are five vaccines available in the Unified Health System (SUS) that prevent the leading causes of bacterial meningitis. These include the meningococcal C, 10-valent pneumococcal, and pentavalent pneumococcal vaccines.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
