CNN
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After suffering from bacterial meningitis, Jeff Beck, the famous guitarist, died on Wednesday at the age of 78, according to a statement sent to his official media accounts and confirmed to CNN by his representative.
“On behalf of his family, it is with great sadness and deep sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing,” the statement read. “After contracting bacterial meningitis suddenly, he passed away peacefully yesterday. His family asks for privacy as they process this great loss. ”
Unbelievable though however, death can occur within hours of contracting bacterial meningitis, an inflammation of the membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord. Inflammation is usually caused when an infection attacks the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. However, most people recover from the disease, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Those who recover can develop permanent disabilities, such as brain damage, hearing loss, and learning disabilities,” the CDC said on its website.
Symptoms of the disease can mimic the flu or Covid-19 and include headache, fever, nausea or vomiting, brain fog, sensitivity to light, difficulty sleeping or waking, and stiff neck.
“Meningitis can be acute, with a rapid onset of symptoms, it can be chronic, lasting a month or more, or it can be mild or aseptic,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
See a doctor immediately if you or a loved one has a high fever, a severe headache that does not go away, confusion, vomiting, or pain, stiff neck and limited movement.
Babies are more susceptible than other ages, According to you CDC. Symptoms to look for include irritability, vomiting, lethargy, poor eating habits, unusual mood swings and “soft spot” flare-ups, not at all fontanel, above. Call a doctor immediately with concerns.
A number of bacteria can cause meningitis, as can viruses, parasites, fungi, amoeba, and other injuries, drugs, and conditions such as lupus or cancer. Treatment varies depending on the cause of meningitis, so it’s important to know the source. To find out, doctors collect blood samples or perform a spinal tap, which they send to a laboratory for analysis.
“Doctors treat bacterial meningitis with many drugs. It’s important to start treatment as soon as possible,” the CDC said.
Viral meningitis, although serious, is less fatal than the bacterial version, and people with normal immune systems usually get better on their own, the CDC said.
A viral case of meningitis is “rarely considered contagious,” according to Meningitis Now, an information and support aid based in the United Kingdom.
“Viral meningitis is not transmitted to others by close proximity – unlike the meningococcal form of bacterial meningitis – so no preventive treatment is needed for relatives,” the team said.
The types of bacteria that cause meningitis can spread in many ways. Group B Streptococcus and E. coli bacteria can be passed from mother to child during birth.
Pregnant women can also become infected with Listeria monocytogenes, which can lead to “miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in the newborn, including meningitis,” the CDC said.
Several other bacteria that cause meningitis—Haemophilus influenzae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae—are passed to others by coughing or sneezing. The bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis is spread by sharing saliva or saliva, which usually happens when people kiss, cough or sit in close proximity.
Not everyone who spreads the virus that causes meningitis gets sick. Some people carry this virus in their nose or on their body without knowing it.
“These people are ‘carriers.’ Most carriers never get sick, but they can spread the virus to others,” the CDC said.
People with certain medical conditions, such as HIV infection or immune deficiency, those who do not have spleens and patients on chemotherapy, can contract the disease, the CDC said. Travelers to sub-Saharan Africa, the “Meningitis belt” that stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia, are at high risk.
Meningococcal disease refers to any disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis. The infection can lead to both meningitis and a serious blood infection called sepsis, or blood poisoning. Sepsis can travel within hours throughout the body, causing the extremities to rapidly gangrene and organs to fail.
A skin rash can be a symptom of meningococcal meningitis, along with symptoms of high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, confusion, and sensitivity to light.
“The disease ofmeningococcal is rare and has declined in the United States since the 1990s. However, it is a serious disease with a high risk of death or permanent disability in people who get it,” according to the CDC.
“Even if it is treated, the disease ofmeningococcal kills 10 to 15 infected people out of 100. And of those who survive, about 10 to 20 out of every 100 will be disabled such as hearing loss, brain damage, kidney damage, loss of limbs. , neurological problems, or severe scarring from skin grafts,” the agency added.
Crimes occur during summer camps or in college dorm settings because of the close quarters, claiming the lives of students like San Diego State University freshman Sara Stelzer. He died in 2014 three days after contracting meningococcal meningitis which was not included in the vaccine recommended at the time.
Keeping you and your family up to date on vaccinations is an important way to prevent bacterial and viral meningitis, the CDC warned.
There are four main types of vaccines: the pneumococcal vaccine, Hib vaccines, two meningococcal vaccines and the Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine that protects against TB.
A meningococcal vaccine protects against serogroups A, C, W and Y. To protect against serogroup B, a disease that has claimed the lives of many college students, a vaccine called MenB is used.
The effectiveness of the vaccine may decrease over time, so it’s wise to check with your healthcare provider to see if you may need a booster.
