A Moray man who mistook a deadly disease for a hangover has warned others to be on the lookout for its symptoms.
Michael Parkes was days away from his 19th birthday when he was struck down with meningitis, but blamed his poor health on a night of drinking.
Since then the Buckie native has sought to raise awareness of the condition, and he says it is especially important people know how to recognise its signs at the time of year it most commonly strikes.
Investigations by the Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) indicate that cases of meningitis and septicaemia spike over the festive season.
People are at higher risk because they are more likely to be exposed to the germs, and are more susceptible while fighting off winter colds and flu.
One in 10 people affected by the disease die, and a third of survivors suffer brain damage, amputations, blindness and hearing loss.
Mr Parkes says he still suffers from short-term memory loss as a result of the illness, which caused him to spend days in intensive care in 1999.
He said: “Two weeks before I turned 19, I was rushed to hospital with meningococcal septicaemia.
“I initially thought it was a hangover from the previous Friday night, which is a typical symptom, and I was given a shot of penicillin that probably saved my life.
“I’m glad to be alive, but the main after effect has been that my short-term memory can be poor.”
Symptoms to look out for include fever, vomitting, headaches, muscle pain, shivering, pale skin, a rash and a dislike of bright lights.
The MRF has issued a warning that babies, young children, teenagers and students are most vulnerable to the disease.