The Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada was born from a mother’s tragic loss of her son, Michael Longo, who died at 19 years of age of fulminant meningococcemia. The foundation is based in Waterloo, Ontario. Its major objectives are:
to provide support and information about meningitis to patients and their families;
to increase public awareness of meningitis;
to promote better understanding of the disease among health care professionals; and
to support research to prevent death and disability from meningitis and other infections of the central nervous system.
Because it is new, the foundation is not yet in a position to fund research. Fundraising that has been coducted during the past two years gives hope that the foundation will be able to begin to support research projects in the near future.
The foundation has made impressive progress in its educational activities. It has created a Web site <http://www.meningitis.ca> that contains a general information statement on meningitis and other infections of the central nervous system, as well as specific statements on infections caused by meningococcus, pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, group B streptococcus, Escherichia coli and viruses. The statements cover pathogenesis, symptoms and signs, treatment, complications, sequelae and prevention of these infections. There are additional statements on vaccines and antibiotic prophylaxis, and the control of meningococcal outbreaks in schools, colleges and other special settings. For an example of one of these statements, turn to page 126 of the present issue of Paediatrics & Child Health.
All of the statements on the foundation’s Web site can be printed and distributed freely. The statements on meningococcal disease and control of meningococcal outbreaks have been reviewed by a group of Ontario medical officers of health, and are distributed to the public during outbreaks.
In addition to the Web site, the foundation has a telephone hotline and an e-mail address for patients and/or their families seeking additional information or advice. Direct medical advice is not provided, but general questions about diagnosis, treatment, complications and the prevention of meningitis are answered. At present, the medical advisor answers 12 to 15 queries per month.
Physicians are urged to inform patients and their families about the foundation and its Web site whenever questions about meningitis or other central nervous system infections arise.