Chapter 14, Problem 1CAE

Three days before a nurse developed meningococcemia, she assisted with intubation of a patient with a Neisseria meningitidis infection. Of the 24 medical personnel involved, only this nurse became ill. The nurse recalled that she was exposed to nasopharyngeal secretions and did not receive antibiotic prophylaxis. What two mistakes did the nurse make? How is meningitis transmitted?

Introduction:

  Meningococcemia is a  contagious bacterial infection it is directly affect the bloodstream which is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. It is spread through respiratory secretions. The first signs and symptom include fever, nausea, myalgia, headache, arthralgia, chills, diarrhea, stiff neck, and malaise. The rashes will be appear often.

Explanation

  The staff nurse who care for such affected patients with conformed Neisseria meningitidis infection should use Personal protective equipment (PPE) and also follow the proper hand washing technique. Secondly, Antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis is essential to prevent meningococcal infections. But this nurse forgets to use PPE and receive prophylaxis.

the meningitis is transmitted through the droplet infection and the causative organism are Group B Streptococcus (GBS), Streptococcus pneumoniae (also called pneumococcus), Heamophillus influenza, Neisseria meningitides (also called meningococcus), and Listeria monocytogenes.

Application:

  While caring the patients diagnosed with meningococcal diseases and who hospitalized must placed in respiratory precautions and start with effective antimicrobial therapy can prevent the cross-infection in hospital workers. But no need for Antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis for the personnel who have only casual or indirect contact with a patient with meningococcal disease. Antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis should be administered even the passenger who had direct contact with respiratory secretions for anyone seated directly next to an affected person on a prolonged time more than 8 hours.

Conclusion:

  To decrease the cross-infection in the clinical setting and hospital staff who caring for patients with known or suspected meningococcal infections should take standard precautions and antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis.