Another case of meningitis has been identified in Bradford, linked with the Muslim pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.

Last weekend, a Bradford pilgrim was found to be suffering from the rare W135 strain of the killer disease. That person's condition is still improving, health chiefs said today.

It follows a nationwide alert which has seen 13 cases across the country - with four deaths - linked to the annual Haj, or pilgrimage, to Saudi Arabia.

Bradford's public health experts have now checked over other cases of meningitis in the city to see whether any had been caused by the rare bacterial infection, and they found a second case of a young person whose grandparents had been on the Haj. Neither victim has been named.

The sufferer had been known to have meningitis earlier this month but doctors had been unable to identify the strain at the time. That victim has now recovered and public health bosses say enough time has elapsed so they are unlikely to have to treat close contacts.

In the case identified a week ago contacts were immunised, but Dr Liz Kernohan, public health consultant at Bradford Health Authority, stressed there was no cause for concern in the community as a whole.

"This is not a disease which is easily transmitted from person to person - only through close contact," she said.

There have been no new cases of the illness in the past week, but Dr Kernohan advised anyone who had recently returned from the Haj and had any symptoms of meningitis to contact their doctor immediately.

Pilgrims who go to Saudi Arabia for the Haj have to have jabs to protect them against the A and C strains of meningococcal meningitis, the most serious form of the disease - but that offers no protection against the rare W135 strain.

Information about the disease had been sent out to GPs in the community, said a health authority spokesman.

Meningitis symptoms include: lA high temperature and/or vomiting.

Severe headache;

A stiff neck, aching limbs and joints.

A dislike of bright lights.

Drowsiness and/or a purple rash which does not fade when pressed.

In small babies, a refusal to feed and a high-pitched cry.

jan.winter@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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