Meningococcal infection is an acute infectious disease caused by bacteria that occurs with a variety of clinical manifestations - from asymptomatic carriage, nasopharyngitis (inflammation of the nasal mucosa and pharynx), meningitis (inflammation of the meninges) and meningococcal sepsis (blood poisoning).

Meningitis is characterized by a sudden onset: suddenly there is a severe headache, vomiting, after 6-15 hours the rash, the temperature reaches 39-40°C, the chills. The skin is pale. There is general weakness, pain in the back and limbs. Patients are thirsty, appetite is reduced. It should be noted that the disease can occur in an easy, and therefore very insidious form, imitating such relatively "harmless" diseases as influenza, tonsillitis, runny nose, etc. When favorable conditions arise, such as weakening the protective forces of the body caused by hypothermia, disease, overfatigue, meningococcus rapidly penetrates into the brain envelopes and causes inflammation.

The source of infection is sick people and "healthy carriers", i.e. people who do not have any clinical manifestations, but they are carriers of meningococcus.

What are the actions to be taken with meningitis?   URGENTLY GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!

Due to the fact that the disease can be masked for a while under the usual cold, you need a timely call to the doctor. If there is a suspicion of meningitis, the patient is urgently hospitalized in an infectious hospital.

For prevention of meningitis:

• Limit visits without the need for crowded places, shopping and entertainment centers, cultural events held in poorly ventilated premises;
• Do not overcool, and dress according to the weather.
• Wash your hands. Careful hand washing is very important to avoid infection. Teach your children to wash their hands often, especially before meals, after staying in a public place, and also after they have touched animals;
• Watch your health. Maintain your immune system, normally resting, regularly doing sports and adhering to a healthy diet;
• Persons who have come into contact with the patient to fulfill the prescription of doctors for taking antibiotics with a preventive purpose under the supervision of medical workers.

24-hour Call Centers for the prevention of meningitis operate throughout the territory of Kazakhstan, and they can receive advice from an infectious disease specialist or epidemiologist on all emerging issues in the population:

Call center contacts in the following areas:

Republican call-center: 8 /7172/ 554900

Astana: 1430

Almaty: 8 /7273/ 000 103

Almaty region: 8 /7182/ 411-212

Akmola region: 8 800 080 6481

Aktobe region:  8 7132 500 895, 8 7132 502 721

Atyrau region: 8 /7122/ 98-02-92, whatsApp 8 778 007-20-21

EKR :8 /7232/ 70 11 31 

Zhambyl region: 8 /7262/ 555-160

West-Kazakhstan region: 8 /7112/ 24-00-06

Mangystau region: 8 702 0292929 

Pavlodar region: 8 /7182 /66-24-99, 8702 300 15 17

Karaganda region: 8 /7212/ 955-559

Kyzylorda region: 8 / 7242 / 400 -001

North-Kazakhstan region: 8 800 808103

Turkestan region: 8 /7252/ 39-31-60

Kostanay region Call center tel: 8 /7142/ 393 777