Just like every other microbe, the bacteria causing Meningitis does undergo mutation.
What is mutation?
It is a process whereby the DNA of an organism is altered by nature to give the organism new characteristics and properties.
For the new strain of bacteria, most of the time, this means it is able to survive longer in the human body and sometimes evade conventional treatment with the usual antibiotics.
This seems to be the case with the current strain of organism (Type C) causing the current epidemic.
Nigeria has only had stocks of vaccine (the preferred method of prevention) for Type A.
The vaccines for Type C is not commercially available, but attempts are being made by the Ministry of Health to secure the quantities needed to vaccinate the needed number of people.
So far, only about 500,000 vials of vaccine are available from WHO for use in Zamfara and Katsina, with another 800,000 expected from the United Kingdom.
Please, avoid staying in large gatherings in unventilated enviroment especially if you live in states where CSM is prevalent.
Written By Obinna Aligwekwe