Officials Investigating Suspected Meningococcal Disease Case
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Kosciusko County Health Department, in cooperation with the Indiana State Department of Health, is investigating a suspected case of meningococcal disease.
The adolescent student from Kosciusko County suspected of having the disease has been under medical supervision since Thursday so he or she can no longer spread the disease, said Teresa Miller, communicable disease nurse for the Kosciusko County Health Department, Friday afternoon.Miller was unable to release the name, age and sex of the adolescent with the suspected disease. She said it is unknown how long the adolescent will be under medical supervision.
The last time a meningitis case was detected in the county was a bacterial meningitis case in 2005, she said. The health department received a report from a health care provider Thursday morning of a suspected meningococcal disease case.
The health department has contacted persons who have had close contact with the student, and is making recommendations on who should have antibiotics to prevent infection.
A person must have direct contact with an infected person's saliva during the seven days prior to the onset of illness in order to become infected. The disease is not spread through casual contact or by simply being in the same room as an infected person.
The disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitis and generally affects people in two ways: meningitis, an inflammation of the tissues covering the brain and or spinal cord; or bloodstream infection that usually leads to bleeding under the skin.
These include, but are not limited to, a sudden onset of fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion and sometimes a rash. Newborns and small infants also may vomit, and be tired or very fussy.
If any of these signs or symptoms should develop, the person should be taken immediately to a physician or emergency room to be evaluated for possible meningococcal disease.
Close contact means household members, persons who frequently eat or sleep in the same house, persons who spent 4 to 6 hours per day together, or persons who have come in contact with saliva of the infected person by kissing, or sharing eating and drinking utensils.
For all other persons, including those who had casual contact as would occur in most school, social, or church activities, the risk of infection is very low. Preventative antibiotics are not recommended for casual contacts of infected persons.
There are two vaccines that protect against most types of this disease. A dose of meningococcal vaccine is recommended for children and adolescents 11 to 18 years old.
The Meningococcal vaccine also is recommended for other people at increased risk for meningococcal disease such as college freshmen living in dormitories, U.S. military recruits, travelers to countries where meningococcal disease is common such as parts of Africa, anyone with a damaged spleen, or whose spleen has been removed. Persons with certain medical conditions that affect their immune system should check with their physician.
To reduce the spread and risk of any communicable disease, it is recommended that individuals avoid sharing foods, drinks, lipstick/balm, cigarettes or other medium on which there is contact with another person's saliva.
For more information, visit online at www.in.gov/isdh/22121.htm or www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.htm
