Health Officials Say Salem Meningococcal Case Not an Outbreak of The Disease

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The man was treated and then recalled to Salem Hospital Photo By: Tim King

(SALEM) - Marion County Health officials say a 21-year-old has tested positive for meningococcal disease.

The man, came into Salem Hospital last week, complaining of a severe headache and nausea.

He was treated and released.

Once lab tests confirmed the man had meningococcal disease, he was brought back and treated with antibiotics, health officials said.

A 17-year-old girl from Independence, and another man are currently under observation at Salem Hospital and are being treated with antibiotics as a precaution.

Family members are also being treated.

Health officials say the patients bloodstream was affected by the disease which make it harder for the disease to spread.

WHAT IS MENINGITIS?

Meningitis is an infection of the fluid in a person's spinal cord and of the fluid that surrounds the brain. People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis. Meningitis can be caused by either a viral or bacterial infection. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ. Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment, while bacterial meningitis can be quite severe and may result in brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disability. For bacterial meningitis, it is also important to know which type of bacteria is causing the meningitis because antibiotics can prevent some types from spreading and infecting other people. Before the 1990s, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis, but new vaccines being given to all children as part of their routine immunizations have reduced the occurrence of invasive disease due to H. influenzae. Today, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are the leading causes of bacterial meningitis.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENINGITIS?

High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of two years. These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take one to two days. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness. In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, or be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly. As the disease progresses, patients of any age may have seizures.

For more information on meningococcal disease visit www.cdc.gov

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