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School
Health
- Meningitis Information
At the present time there are no
confirmed cases of bacterial meningitis involving a
Allen ISD student at any campus. The district works
closely with the Texas Department of State Health
Services to ensure the prevention of communicable
diseases in our schools and community.
There are two types of meningitis,
bacterial and viral.
Viral meningitis does increase
somewhat during the spring and summer as it is
caused by a variety of viruses. While this virus can
be spread among children in school, it very rarely
causes serious illness, so there is no cause for
alarm. There is no preventative medication that your
child can take for viral meningitis, since
antibiotics will not kill viral germs.
Bacterial meningitis is less common
than viral meningitis, but is usually much more
serious and can be life threatening if not treated
promptly with antibiotics. There are vaccines
available to guard against the bacteria that cause
this type of meningitis.
Symptoms of both types of meningitis
may include sudden onset of fever, upset stomach,
headache and stiffness in the neck. Prevention
comes down to good infection control and hand
washing. Please consult your health care provider
if you feel your student has the above symptoms.
Click here for more information about Bacterial
Meningitis
Below is additional information about
Viral Meningitis:
(Click here for Spanish version).
Viral Meningitis
What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an illness in which there is
inflammation of the tissues that cover the brain and
spinal cord. Viral or "aseptic" meningitis, which is
the most common type, is caused by an infection with
one of several types of viruses. Meningitis can also
be caused by infections with several types of
bacteria or fungi. In the United States, there are
between 25,000 and 50,000 hospitalizations due to
viral meningitis each year.
Is viral meningitis a serious
disease? Viral ("aseptic")
meningitis is serious but rarely fatal in persons
with normal immune systems. Usually, the symptoms
last from 7 to 10 days and the patient recovers
completely. Bacterial meningitis, on the other hand,
can be very serious and result in disability or
death if not treated promptly. Often, the symptoms
of viral meningitis and bacterial meningitis are the
same. For this reason, if you think you or your
child has meningitis, see your doctor as soon as
possible.
What causes viral meningitis?
Many different viruses can cause meningitis. About
90% of cases of viral meningitis are caused by
members of a group of viruses known as
enteroviruses, such as coxsackieviruses and
echoviruses. These viruses are more common during
summer and fall months. Herpesviruses and the mumps
virus can also cause viral meningitis.
How is viral meningitis
diagnosed? Viral
meningitis is usually diagnosed by laboratory tests
of spinal fluid obtained with a spinal tap. The
specific cause of viral meningitis can be determined
by tests that identify the virus in specimens
collected from the patient, but these tests are
rarely done.
How is viral meningitis
treated? No specific
treatment for viral meningitis exists at this time.
Most patients completely recover on their own.
Doctors often will recommend bed rest, plenty of
fluids, and medicine to relieve fever and headache.
How is the virus spread?
Enteroviruses, the most common cause of viral
meningitis, are most often spread through direct
contact with respiratory secretions (e.g., saliva,
sputum, or nasal mucus) of an infected person. This
usually happens by shaking hands with an infected
person or touching something they have handled, and
then rubbing your own nose or mouth. The virus can
also be found in the stool of persons who are
infected. The virus is spread through this route
mainly among small children who are not yet toilet
trained. It can also be spread this way to adults
changing the diapers of an infected infant. The
incubation period for enteroviruses is usually
between 3 and 7 days from the time you are infected
until you develop symptoms. You can usually spread
the virus to someone else beginning about 3 days
after you are infected until about 10 days after you
develop symptoms.
Can I get viral meningitis if
I’m around someone who has it?
The viruses that cause viral meningitis are
contagious. Enteroviruses, for example, are very
common during the summer and early fall, and many
people are exposed to them. However, most infected
persons either have no symptoms or develop only a
cold or rash with low-grade fever. Only a small
proportion of infected persons actually develop
meningitis. Therefore, if you are around someone who
has viral meningitis, you have a moderate chance of
becoming infected, but a very small chance of
developing meningitis.
For more information, please visit the Texas
Department of State Health Services for further
information at
www.dshs.state.tx.us |
