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Nurse: Bacterial meningitis threat passesBy JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK, Times Staff Writer © St. Petersburg Times published April 30, 2003
SPRING HILL - Families who got a letter Monday saying that a Suncoast Elementary School student had contracted bacterial meningitis during spring break can breathe easy. The incubation period for catching the disease has passed, and no one else in the fourth-grader's class or school has been diagnosed with the illness, said Fran Monforti, epidemiology nurse for the Hernando County Health Department. "The worrying was over with yesterday," Monforti said Tuesday. "The child is fine. The child is home." The student's name is not being released because of confidentiality laws. This was the second case of bacterial meningitis at Suncoast Elementary this year and the third in Hernando County. Monforti said the cases were not related. Suncoast principal Jean Ferris wanted to reassure parents that the school does not have major health concerns. "There's not a problem at all," Ferris said. "It's an isolated incident. . . . It was during break. There was not a lot of risk involved at all." She said the school sent home the letter as a precaution, to make sure all parents were well informed of the illness. Parent Teacher Association president Debbie Brunner said she had heard that only a small number of parents called the school with concerns. Overall, she said, "our school is pretty good about notifying the parents." "They notified the whole school," Brunner said. The Health Department made personal contact with all families that had children in the patient's fourth-grade class, Monforti said. It also alerted all area pediatricians and hospitals to be aware of possible additional cases. Bacterial meningitis is passed through nasal secretions and saliva, and is caught about seven days before any symptoms develop. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. Common symptoms include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion and sleepiness. In her letter, Ferris reminded parents that good ways to reduce the chances of catching this form of bacterial meningitis include covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, throwing away used tissues, not sharing drinking glasses or toothbrushes, and washing hands before eating and after going to the bathroom. - Jeffrey S. Solochek covers education and politics in Hernando County. He can be reached at 754-6115. Send e-mail to solochek@sptimes.com
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