SA Health is urging South Australians to be aware of the signs of meningococcal after four people were hospitalised with the disease so far this month.
Thirteen cases of meningococcal have been recorded in the state already in 2015, including a middle-aged woman who died from the disease earlier in the year.
Signs of meningococcal include fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck and sore muscles, followed by a rash of red and purple spots.
Chief medical officer Professor Paddy Phillips said there was a high possibility more cases could occur during the winter months.
“Meningococcal is a rare infection, but numbers do tend to be higher when there are more respiratory infections around, such as influenza,” Professor Phillips said.
“In the past week three males have fallen ill with the disease, while a 10-month-old also contracted the disease earlier this month, bringing the number of meningococcal cases recorded in July to four, almost a third of our total cases.”
“It is important that the public is alert to the symptoms of meningococcal disease and for anyone concerned to seek medical advice.”
Professor Phillips said the meningococcal bacteria are carried around in the nose and throat of around 10 per cent of the population, but are usually harmless.
The bacteria are spread from person to person through close contact and in some situations people can develop invasive meningococcal disease.
“Babies or young children with meningococcal infection may also be irritable, refuse feeds or be difficult to wake,” Professor Phillips said.
“When a case of meningococcal infection is reported, SA Health will identify people who may have been in contact with the patient to provide them with information about what symptoms to look out for.
“People who may be particularly at risk will be given antibiotic chemoprophylaxis as a preventative measure.”
Those to report meningococcal so far in 2015 have been aged from under one through to 72.