An eight-year-old boy died on Friday after apparently contracting meningococcal type b, commonly known as the predatory bacteria. The boy was rushed to the hospital with a high fever and after suffering convulsions. On his way to the hospital his condition deteriorated and the doctors at the medical center had no choice but to determine his death after the resuscitation efforts performed on him were unsuccessful.
Meningococcal B bacteria is a virulent bacteria that is found in the throat of about 15% of children and youth in Israel. It is mostly harmless, but in some children it may invade the bloodstream and quickly lead to serious and even fatal illness and sometimes even death. Strain B is the most common in Israel and causes morbidity in about 70% of cases.
Meningococcal B is transmitted from a carrier to another person by droplet infection, through saliva secretions. The duration of the stay with the carrier and continuous contact have an effect on the chances of infection and therefore most cases of infection occur among family members or babies and children who stay together in the same setting. Most of the carriers of the bacteria are teenagers.