RE:
Student Recovering from Meningitis
Last night, a
Swartz
Creek
Community
School
District
middle
school student was diagnosed as infected with Neisseria meningitidis, a
bacteria responsible for meningococcal meningitis. The student’s condition
is improving this morning and is receiving excellent care.
“We have been working closely with the
Genesee County Health Department throughout the night,” notes Roy Pearson,
Superintendent of the
Swartz
Creek
Community
School
District
, “And we
will continue to provide information to students, teachers, and other staff
throughout the day.” “There is no reason for any normal school activity to
be rescheduled or for children to stay home from school,” notes Robert
Pestronk, Health Officer, Genesee County Health Department “Excellent
follow-up work has been conducted by local hospitals, health department staff,
and school district staff since the case was reported and preventive treatment
has been offered for those who had been in closest contact with the
student.”
“Because onset can be sudden, parents
should always be on the look out for symptoms this time of year, for this
disease and others” says Gary Johnson, M.D., Medical Director, Genesee County
Health Department, “A family’s
physician should be contacted if a parent or caregiver suspects infection.”
Symptoms of infection include sudden onset
of fever, intense headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck and, sometimes a
rash. Some cases exhibit delirium and coma, and suddenly want to lie down. Incubation
period varies from
2
to 10 days, commonly 3 to 4 days. Infections
often occur in the late winter and early spring and among children and young
adults. Most commonly infection is
seen under crowded living conditions such as dormitories, barracks, and
institutions. Humans are the only
carriers of the bacteria.
Transmission occurs by direct contact,
including respiratory droplets from nose and throat of infected people. Many
people carry the bacteria but exhibit no signs of infection.
It is not understood why some people become more seriously affected than
others.
A short course of easily available,
prescribed antibiotics is the usual treatment.
Treatment with
antibiotics is recommended only for people who have been in very close or direct
contact with the case; casual contact is not usually significant enough to
warrant prophylaxis. A person
infected with the bacteria will no longer be communicable after the institution
of treatment.
A
press conference will be held at the Swartz Creek Community School District
Administration building, 8354 Cappy Lane, Swartz Creek at 1:30 p.m. to answer
questions.
