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A three-year-old girl almost died after her family's cat gave her a rare form of meningitis.
Sparkle Anderson was left just hours from death after she contracted meningitis from Chesney, her mother's two-year-old pet.
Thankfully, after a month in hospital, Sparkle made a full recovery and she is now inseparable from the animal.
Sparkle Anderson, three, caught meningitis from her mother's pet cat, Chesney (pictured)
Sparkle's mother Chelsea-Ann Dodd, 21, a promotions assistant from Winsham, Somerset, said: ‘It seemed such an unlikely cause.
‘The doctors said she was only the 39th person in the world known to have picked up that particular strain of meningitis.
‘She was just three weeks old and very vulnerable. It was very frightening.
‘Chesney still lives with my mum and there's no need to worry about them being in contact any more. In fact they follow each other around all the time when we visit.’
Sparkle (pictured with her mother, Chelsea) fell ill when she was just three weeks old. She cried constantly and was hot and bad-tempered so her mother took her to hospital where she was diagnosed with meningitis
When she was diagnosed, doctors said that Sparkle was just hours from death. She had to spend a month in hospital before being released. She is pictured recovering from the illness
Miss Dodd said she became concerned when, at three weeks old, Sparkle would not stop crying.
She said: ‘I tried everything to calm her down, but she wouldn't stop yelling. She was extremely hot and bad-tempered.WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MENINGITIS IN A BABY?
A fever and cold hands and feet
Refusing food and vomiting
Being fretful and disliking being handled
Drowsiness and unresponsiveness
An unusual cry or moaning
Neck stiffness and a dislike of bright lights
Pale, blotchy skin or a red rash that does not disappear under pressure
Seizures or fits
Source: The Meningitis Trust
Refusing food and vomiting
Being fretful and disliking being handled
Drowsiness and unresponsiveness
An unusual cry or moaning
Neck stiffness and a dislike of bright lights
Pale, blotchy skin or a red rash that does not disappear under pressure
Seizures or fits
Source: The Meningitis Trust
‘After a few hours I decided to trust my mothers' instinct and take her to hospital.’
At Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton, doctors took her daughter away for some emergency tests.
She said: ‘It broke my heart to see her hooked up to so many wires. When they told me she had meningitis, I felt sick.
‘It didn't make any sense - Sparkle didn't have a rash and I hadn't noticed her shying away from bright lights.
‘She had an extremely rare form – I was told there had been just 39 cases previously, which really took me by surprise.
‘I was told that she could have died within hours if I hadn't brought her in.’
As doctors brought Sparkle out of the danger zone, they made the startling revelation that they had traced the source of her meningitis to Chesney the cat.
Sparkle had contracted a dangerous viral strain of the illness called pasteurella multocida.
This bacterium is common in animals, including cats and dogs and can be transferred to humans through bites, scratches and saliva.
Sparkle was lucky to make a full recovery from her illness and is now a healthy three year old
It is believed the cat must have licked Sparkle's bottle and that she contracted the illness as a result of bacteria in the cat's saliva
However, it is extremely rare for it to cause meningitis.
A spokesperson for the Meningitis Research Foundation said: 'Meningitis can be caused by organisms such as bacteria, viruses or fungi infecting the fluid which surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
'Most feline infectious diseases only affect cats whilst most human infectious diseases only affect humans. It is possible but rare for certain diseases to pass between cats and humans, for instance if a cat bites you or licks an open wound you could get an infection.
Last month Jessica Livings, 19, revealed she had caught TB while cleaning an open wound on her pet cat, Onyx
Cases of meningitis resulting from an infection passed on from a cat are extremely rare indeed.'
Miss Dodd said: ‘They thought that it was transferred through Chesney's saliva. I'd been careful not to leave them alone together, but Chesney must have licked Sparkle's milk bottle while my back was turned.
‘I was consumed with guilt - I felt as if I hadn't kept a careful enough eye on things, and that Sparkle's sickness was my fault. I sent Chesney to go and live with my mother.’After a month in hospital, Sparkle came home and has since gone on to make a full recovery. She is now a happy, healthy toddler who is unafraid of animals.
A spokesperson for the charity Meningitis Now told MailOnline: 'It is possible to contract meningitis from cats but it is very, very rare, so people shouldn’t worry unduly about contracting it in this way.
'Our advice would be to keep your family pet and make sure you know the signs and symptoms of meningitis.
'Take prompt action if you suspect the disease. Among the symptoms to look out for in babies and toddlers are fever, with cold hands and feet; a stiff neck and a dislike of bright lights; an unusual cry or moaning; and being drowsy, floppy or unresponsive.'
Miss Dodd added: ‘I've been told it's perfectly safe for Sparkle to spend time with Chesney, which is a relief because they've really become best friends.’
Last month, a 19-year-old girl revealed she had caught TB from her pet kitten.
Jessica Livings, from Berkshire, is thought to be the first case of cat-to-human transmission.
Experts believe she became infected while cleaning her pet's open wound and she had to be rushed to hospital for surgery on severely her damaged lungs.
She is now keen to advise new parents to research early symptoms of meningitis in children, which include pain, mottled skin and unusually cold hands and feet or shivering.
The cat now lives with Sparkle's grandmother but the pair are allowed contact as the danger has passed
She said: ‘I didn't know very much about meningitis - I always thought the only thing I should be worried about was a rash.
‘But there are lots of other symptoms too, and knowing them can make all the difference in helping to catch it early.
‘I try not to think about how close I came to losing Sparkle. I'm so grateful that she's alright now.’
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