A disease that can be easily mistaken for having too much booze the night before has led to an urgent warning being sent around to those who consume alcohol.
The symptoms are especially worrying, as they can be dismissed as various ailments, like a hangover.
But unlike a hangover, this disease can lead to a life-long consequence, or even death.
According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, every two minutes, somebody in the world will get meningococcal meningitis, with those who are under five or within the 15 to 19 age range being the most susceptible.
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Meningococcal bacteria can cause a deadly condition, called invasive meningococcal disease, which can lead to meningitis, sepsis or both.
Essentially, it occurs when there is swelling of the membranes, called the meninges, that cover the brain and spinal cord.
The research page explains: “When these bacteria cause severe disease, they typically spread through the body in one of two ways. They can infect the bloodstream (causing sepsis) or infect the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord (causing meningitis).
"Many patients develop both conditions at the same time. These severe infections are known collectively as invasive meningococcal disease.”
While uncommon, it can spread like wildfire between people who exchange bodily fluids or are in close contact with others, and because of how rapid the onset of symptoms is, it can be fatal within 24 to 48 hours.
Meningococcal bacteria commonly live ‘harmlessly in the back of the nose and throat of about one in ten people’, which can then 'pass from person to person through coughing, sneezing and close physical contact like kissing.’
However, ‘only a small fraction of people who are exposed to meningococcal bacteria become ill with meningococcal disease.’
According to Gold Coast University Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr Peter Simos, if you see any of the signs, you need to seek help.
"Meningococcal disease can progress rapidly, and every second without treatment risks irreversible damage," Simos told 9News, referring to ‘schoolies’ pupils who are within the most at-risk age.
"The concern during schoolies is that teens may dismiss early flu-like symptoms. I encourage anyone feeling unwell, even if in doubt, to seek medical help. Don't leave it too late."
What are the early signs of meningococcal disease?
Early signs of meningococcal disease include things like vomiting, sensitivity to light, headache, confusion, drowsiness, and not being hungry.
If you get a stiff neck and have seizures, it could have progressed to meningitis.
Or, if your skin becomes mottled, it could be a sign of sepsis.
A rash is one of the most recognised symptoms, but this isn’t guaranteed to be a symptom everyone sees.
Britt Jones