Originally published February 21 2006
Oxford researchers discover new symptoms of meningococcal disease in young people
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A team of Oxford University researchers led by Matthew Thompson has identified pains in the leg and cold hands as better warning signs of meningococcal disease in children, a finding that could help doctors quickly administer antibiotics that would save a child's life.
LEG pain and cold hands and feet are better warning signs of early meningococcal disease in children than a rash or sensitivity to light, British doctors say.
The Oxford University team came to its conclusion after interviewing parents and examining the medical notes of 448 infected children --- a quarter of whom died.
The symptoms appeared up to seven hours before a rash and up to 10 hours before children developed an aversion to light, the most recognised signs of the bacterial infection that can cause meningitis and blood poisoning.
The study, by Matthew Thompson from the university's department of primary health care, is the first to map symptoms experienced before admission to hospital, their duration and the order in which they appeared.
The results, published yesterday in The Lancet medical journal, were strong enough to warrant immediate change to information campaigns, Dr Thompson said.
He said the symptoms were unusual in young children and could help differentiate meningococcal disease from trivial illnesses that started similarly with fever, vomiting and drowsiness.
David Isaacs, professor of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney, said experienced doctors could pick up subtle signs of meningococcal infection, and knew that not all children developed the purple rash.
Chris Hogan, a Victorian GP and spokesman for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said the study showed meningococcal symptoms typically did not begin until at least six hours after the child got sick.
This meant doctors who saw children early in the illness should review them in six hours if they deteriorated, not the next day, which might be too late.
He said parents should seek medical advice if they had a child who got sick quickly.
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