Dear e-druggers,
While still in our mind the aftermath of flooding, which sacrificed many lives
in the Philippines, comes the Tsunami tragedy, which killed thousand of our
Asian brothers and sisters.
In the Philippines, the issue of meningococcal infection is ON, heating up
health issues being exaggerated by Philippine media. This worsens the scenario,
brings fear among the citizens, and big business for the drug industries. The
Philippines Department of Health is not giving its official statement to
HALT/STOP the issue; instead the secretary of health mentioned it as an
outbreak instead of alert as used by the WHO. Citizens in Baguio City (Northen
Luzon) live in disappointment and uncertainty since the issue is not that bad
in reality?
Our organization will conduct a series of Forums to educate and raise peoples'
awareness regarding the issue.
I am soliciting your expertise, websites, and materials regarding
Meningococcemia to:
1. Understand its background clearly for documentation.
2. Confirm therapeutic effect of Rifampicin and Ciprofloxacin being used as
prophylaxis (2 days administration).
3. How to handle the situation up to the community level.
4. Procedure of medication and what medicine is advisable.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Rene Manangan, RPH
Council for Health and Development
Quezon City, Philippines
ipmanangan2@yahoo.com
[WHO recommends Cipro only for adults; Rifampicin can be given to all ages.
Contacts: prophylaxis should be considered for patients and close contacts
(especially children). Ceftriaxone clears carriage, thus patients treated with
ceftriaxone will generally not require rifampicin prophylaxis.
WB
For more WHO advice see:
http://mednet3.who.int/eml/disease_factsheet.asp?diseaseId=463
http://www.who.int/emc-documents/meningitis/whoemcbac983c.html
WHO Fact Sheet No. 141, Revised, May 2003
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/2003/fs141/en/
Control of Epidemic Meningococcal Disease, WHO Practical Guidelines (Page 66),
2nd Edition, WHO/EMC/BAC/98.3
http://www.who.int/emc-documents/meningitis/docs/whoemcbac983.pdf
Meningococcal disease Link Page
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/meningococcal/en/
Core information for the development of immunization policy, 2002 update,
Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, WHO/V&B/02.28, Original:
English
http://www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF02/www557.pdf
WHO Model Prescribing Information. Drugs used in bacterial infections. World
Health Organization, 2001. 177 pages (Page 75), ISBN 92 4 140107 9 Sw.fr. 35.-
/ In developing countries Sw.fr. 24.50. Order No. 1150483.
http://www.who.int/medicines/library/bacterial_model_pres/bacterial_content.shtml
Antimicrobial and Support Therapy for Bacterial Meningitis in children; Report
of the meeting of June 18-20, 1997, held at World Health Organization, Geneva
http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/meningitis/WHO_EMC_BAC_98_2/en/
]
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