Cerebro-spinal Meningitis or Cerebral Malaria?

Hello Doctor, I first of all want to let you know that I appreciate all your efforts in helping people out of their problems. I am 17 years old. I had cerebrospinal meningitis two years ago. Since then I could not walk properly again. Please doctor I felt sick again two months ago and somebody told me that it was cerebral malaria again. Please Doctor Bibbi kindly send me a mail telling me the causes of this sickness and tell me -- can someone have this disease again after treating it before? Tell me the causes and effects of this disease and can someone have it relapse? Kabir Qudus, Kafanchan Dear Kabir, Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) is not, I repeat, not the same disease as Cerebral Malaria - you seem to have confused them. You see, Cerebrospinal Meningitis, which is different from Cerebral Malaria is of two types. The one that occurs in epidemic proportions especially in the North of Nigeria caused by the germ referred to as the meningococcus (Neisseria Meningitidis is its scientific name) is the first type. And the none-epidemic type that is common in the South of Nigeria is the second type--caused by the germs Haemophilus influenza and Diplococcus Pneumoniae and many other germs (even Staphylococcus)! Overcrowding, high humidity, prolonged dry season, reduction of mass immunity to a particular strain of the disease, fake or substandard vaccination and unhygienic conditions cause this disease to spread by respiratory droplet infection from carriers that usually have no symptoms. The first type can be prevented by taking the vaccine prepared against this very deadly disease that kills hundreds of hapless folk in the North seasonally. If one has already suffered it once (which is the same as taking the vaccine) he isn't likely to contact it again. So be assured you are safe concerning CSM. Unless, of course you got a fake vaccine as is common in our country and as I mentioned. But as you know, anyone can get malaria at any time and even though malaria tends to affect the extremes of age - little kids and the elderly- as well as pregnant women more severely (and is therefore prone to cause cerebral malaria more easily among them) it can still happen to anyone - including you. That is why, if I were you, I'd take my health more seriously. Because whether the one or the other - Cerebrospinal Meningitis or Cerebral Malaria, any of them can kill so easily; so please don't waste time: waiting two months before appropriately responding to the challenge of the new illness is playing with fire - although, ironically, neither of these two diseases will leave you comfortable enough to be asking questions by mail if you were really struck by them - they strike suddenly and kill (or at least paralyze, blinden, or deafen etc) within days or at most weeks - the correct response is still for you to go see a doctor face to face and have him sort out what the matter is with you. Your unfortunate paralyzed condition is enough cause of grief; don’t allow yourself to die for nothing! I hope you do understand GO SEE A DOCTOR TODAY!!! Cheers Dr Caleb Bibbi Oluranti