(dramatic electronic music)
- [Narrator] Christmas Day, 2017.
Sisters Lily and Grace get ready to enjoy lunch together.
12 hours later, Lily is fighting for her life.
- [Lily] I was terrified, really terrified when I saw the rash.
I thought I'd had an allergic reaction to something,
but I'd never seen on anyone else, a reaction like that.
And so, it sunk in how serious that was, in that minute.
(sirens wailing)
- [Narrator] By the time she got to hospital,
doctors told Lily she was 30 minutes from death.
- [Grace] They had no idea that she had meningococcal
until they brought her in, sat her down,
and the doctor took her blood pressure,
took one look at her, and realised,
"Oh, my god, this is so much more serious."
- This is a really fast disease.
24 hours, you could have.
24 hours.
- [Narrator] The quick action of Lily's mum saved her life,
but she spent eight days in intensive care,
and suffered permanent kidney damage.
- I was doing dialysis, three times a week,
for five hours at a time, for nine months,
or until we got the transplant.
- [Narrator] Fortunately, the 23 year old's sister,
Grace, was able to donate one of her kidneys.
- And you were having hallucinations, as well, weren't you?
- [Grace] We just got really, really lucky, I think.
- This one was the worst, though.
And, it turned out that my kidney has given Lil
the equivalent of two functioning kidneys.
(chuckling)
- [Narrator] Meningococcal disease
is caused by a bacterial infection,
spread by bodily fluids from coughing, sneezing and kissing.
- There are very few other bacteria
that can kill someone in hours, but this is one of them.
- [Narrator] Those most at risk from the disease
are children under five, and people aged 15 to 24,
smokers, anyone with a suppressed immune system,
or living in crowded accommodation.
- Children under five are at particularly high risk,
and particularly, young infants under the age of two.
Also, teenagers are at higher risk of this disease,
and that's because it's an age at which they are
picking up carriage of this organism quite rapidly.
- [Narrator] There are five common strains in Australia,
and cases of meningococcal diseases
have increased, over the last few years.
- We had a surge in W, leading to nearly 150 cases
last year, and a surge in Y, leading to 75 cases last year.
- [Narrator] There are two steps
to save lives from meningococcal disease:
vaccination and early detection.
Paralympian Eliza Ault-Connell survived meningococcal B
aged 16, but was left permanently scarred.
- When you consider my case, I was in ICU for 110 days,
I had over 60 operations.
The financial burden of the disease is so great
when we look at the cost of a vaccination,
it's safe and it's effective.
I can only see prevention as being better than cure.
- [Narrator] There are two vaccines available
that cover the five main strains in Australia.
The first one is new, and covers A, C, W and Y.
It's free under the National Immunisation Program
for babies aged 12 months now,
and teenagers from 14 to 19 years old
will be able to get it from April 2019.
Anyone else can pay for it through their GP.
- So, it's a good idea for 20 to 24 year olds
to think about getting vaccination
through their GP and paying for it.
- [Narrator] The second vaccine
protects against meningococcal B.
It's proven effective in babies,
available privately from your GP.
Due to the high number of cases in South Australia,
it's provided for eligible children and young people there.
- It's important to chat to your GP
about what vaccines you might have had
and what vaccines are available now
so that you can protect yourself
against meningococcal disease in the future.
- [Narrator] Lily was vaccinated in 2005 with C strain.
Since then, new strains of meningococcal have emerged.
In 2017, a vaccine covering four strains
of the disease was introduced.
Lily hadn't received the new vaccine.
- People don't understand that
there is more than one strain.
That you're not necessarily safe and vaccinated
if you have that one vaccination in school.
I mean, I did, and look at me now.
- [Narrator] The last defense against meningococcal disease
is antibiotics, but early detection is essential.
Meningococcal sepsis is more common and more deadly.
Symptoms include a fever, pain, pale skin,
rapid breathing, nausea or vomiting,
also, a rash that may start as a spot,
then develop into distinctive purple bruising.
- When it progresses into the blood to cause
blood poisoning, you can get a high fever.
You can get cold hands and feet,
and then a rash which starts as pinpricks
that becomes a purplish bruising rash
especially on the hands and feet, and even on the face.
- [Narrator] Meningococcal disease symptoms
include a stiff or painful neck,
sensitivity to light, confusion or disorientation,
irritability or agitation in babies.
See your doctor, and if a diagnosis is unclear,
ask to come back in four hours.
If the patient's condition deteriorates,
call an ambulance.
- I've never gotten properly sick before,
and so it's this reality check of,
you know, life is fragile.
(echoing tone)