What makes meningococcal disease so dangerous?
Meningococcal disease can be particularly dangerous for two fundamental reasons: • It is relatively rare and seemingly random. Therefore, people may not consider the possibility of contracting meningitis and may delay seeking medical care for early symptoms of the disease. • It can be deceptive. A person may experience minor cold symptoms for a few days and then progress to severe meningococcal disease in a relatively short period of time — sometimes in a matter of hours. In instances when the meningococcal bacteria invade the bloodstream, it can be carried to other organs including the eyes, heart, lungs, and the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
