The legendary guitarist died of bacterial meningitis. Know what it is and how to avoid this disease.
Jeff Beck passed away on Wednesday at the age of 78. The death came after the legendary rock guitarist contracted bacterial meningitis, according to a statement published on official social media accounts and confirmed to CNN by his publicist.
“On behalf of his family, it is with deep and deep sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s death,” the statement said. “He fell asleep peacefully yesterday after suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis. His family requests privacy as they process this tremendous loss.”
Incredible as it is, death can occur within hours of bacterial meningitis, an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that line the brain and spinal cord. Swelling is typically caused when an infection attacks the fluid that lines the brain and spinal cord. However, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people recover from the disease.
“Those who recover may be left with permanent disabilities, such as brain damage, hearing loss, and learning disabilities,” the CDC notes on its website.
Symptoms of bacterial meningitis
Symptoms of the disease can be similar to those of the flu or Covid19 and include severe headache, fever, nausea or vomiting, mental confusion, sensitivity to light, drowsiness or difficulty waking up, and a stiff neck.
“Meningitis can be acute, with 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.
Seek medical attention right away if you or a loved one has a sudden high fever, severe headache that doesn’t go away, confusion, vomiting, or a painful, stiff neck and restricted movement.
Infants are more susceptible than other age groups, according to the CDC. Signs to look out for include irritability, vomiting, inactivity, eating poorly, abnormal reflexes, and a raised “painful spot” on the head. [De acordo com a DireçãoGeral de Saúde, “o tratamento precoce da meningite é fundamental para a eficácia do mesmo e aumenta as probabilidades de uma recuperação sem sequelas. Habitualmente é tratada com terapêutica medicamentosa, com a toma de antibióticos. Em caso de suspeita da doença, deve procurar o seu médico assistente, o mais rápido possível, para que lhe seja feito o diagnóstico e iniciar o tratamento.”]
How do you get bacterial meningitis?
Several bacteria can cause meningitis, as can viruses, parasites, fungi, amoebas, and some injuries, drugs, and conditions like lupus or cancer. Treatment differs depending on the cause of meningitis, so it’s important to know the source. To find out, doctors take blood samples or do a spinal tap, which they send to a lab for analysis.
[De acordo com o site da DireçãoGeral de Saúde, “a meningite bacteriana transmitese através do contacto direto com gotículas e secreções nasais favorecidas pela tosse, espirros, beijos e pela proximidade física a outros doentes com a infeção”.]
“Doctors treat bacterial meningitis with a variety of antibiotics. It’s important to start treatment as early as possible,” the CDC adds. Viral meningitis, while serious, is much less deadly than the bacterial version, and people with normal immune systems usually get better on their own, the CDC says.
A viral case of meningitis is “generally considered noncontagious,” according to Meningitis Now, a UK information and relief organization. “Unlike the meningococcal form of bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis is not transmitted to others through close contact, so preventive treatment is not required for family members,” the group said.
The types of bacteria that cause meningitis can be spread in a number of ways. Group B streptococci and E. coli bacteria can be passed from mother to child during childbirth.
Pregnant women are also susceptible to infection with Listeria monocytogenes, which can lead to “miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or lifethreatening neonatal infections, including meningitis,” according to the CDC.
Several other bacteria that cause meningitis—Haemophilus influenzae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae—are spread to others through coughing or sneezing. Bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis are spread through the sharing of saliva or spit, which typically occurs when people kiss, cough, or live in close contact.
Not everyone who spreads the bacteria that causes meningitis gets sick. Some people carry these germs in their noses or on their bodies without even knowing it. “These people are ‘porters’. Most carriers never get sick, but they can still spread the bacteria to others,” the CDC notes.
People with certain medical conditions, such as HIV infection or severe immunodeficiency, people without a spleen, and patients undergoing chemotherapy are more likely to develop the disease, the CDC says. Travelers to subSaharan Africa, which has a “meningitis belt” stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia, are also at higher risk.
meningococcal meningitis
Meningococcal disease refers to any disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. The infection can lead to meningitis and a serious bloodstream infection called sepsis, or blood poisoning. Sepsis can spread throughout the body in a matter of hours, rapidly causing gangrene of the extremities and organ failure.
A rash can be a sign of meningococcal meningitis, along with the typical symptoms of high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, confusion, and sensitivity to light.
“Meningococcal disease is rare and has been declining in the United States since the 1990s. However, it is a serious disease with a significant risk of death or permanent disability in people who contract it,” according to the CDC.
“Even if treated, meningococcal disease kills 10 to 15 in every 100 people infected. And of those who survive, about 10 to 20 in 100 will have disabilities such as hearing loss, brain damage, kidney damage, loss of limbs, nervous system problems, or severe scarring from skin grafts,” the agency adds.
There are cases that occur during summer camps or in dormitories that are closed, taking the lives of students like that of San Diego State University freshman Sara Stelzer. She died three days in 2014 after contracting a strain of meningococcal meningitis that was not included in the recommended vaccine at the time.
How to prevent meningitis
Keeping you and your family up to date on immunizations is an important way to prevent bacterial and viral meningitis, advises the CDC.
[Além da vacinação, a DireçãoGeral de Saúde recomenda “limitar o contacto com doentes com a mesma doença; manter uma alimentação e estilo de vida saudáveis; higiene das mãos (…) e etiqueta respiratória”.]
There are four basic types of vaccines: pneumococcal vaccines, Hib vaccines, meningococcal vaccines, and the BacilleCalmetteGuérin vaccine, which protects against tuberculosis.
A meningococcal vaccine protects against serogroups A, C, W, and Y. Another vaccine called MenB is used to protect against serogroup B, the disease that has killed several college students in the United States.
The effectiveness of the vaccine may decrease over time, so it’s a good idea to check with your doctor if you need a booster shot.