June 12, 2007

Lyle student death may be bacterial meningitis

By RODGER NICHOLS
of The Chronicle

     A 12-year-old sixth-grade student at Lyle Middle School died Sunday in Portland from a suspected case of bacterial meningitis.
     Symptoms were first noticed Thursday following the last full day of school. The district closed for the summer after a short session Friday.
      The student was life-flighted to Emanuel hospital in Portland. The Klickitat County Health Department is investigating the case. Confirmation is pending, but an alert issued today said “the patient’s clinical course was highly suggestive of meningococcal disease.”
     A clinic to screen and provide treatment for people who were in close contact with the child was set for from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Dallesport Elementary School.
     According to the health department, meningococcal disease, caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, is transmitted from person to person “by contact with respiratory secretions,” such as saliva, nasal discharge or cough droplets.
     Persons at risk include household contacts and others with whom the person had close contact in the past 10 days.
     The health department said examples of close contact could include: kissing, sharing eating utensils or pop cans, direct coughing or sneezing in a person’s face, sports teammates, or health care workers conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
     The department emphasized it is not spread through the air, and simply being in the same classroom or school as the case is not considered a risk.
     Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, sensitivity to light and sometimes rash. The time from exposure to onset of illness varies from two to 10 days.
     Klickitat County health officials ask people who may have been exposed to be alert to development of these symptoms and should notify their health providers immediately.
     “The disease is treatable with antibiotics,” the alert said, “but immediate action is necessary to avoid serious illness and death.”
     Groups at the highest risk of severe disease are infants, people living in close contact with large numbers of people, such as in college dormitories or military barracks, those with compromised immune systems or with existing respiratory problems.
     The health department noted “there is little or no risk of disease transmission from casual contact,” and has recommended against preventive antibiotics for school members “who do not meet the definition of close contact.”
     The department also recommended against closing the school since the organism which causes the disease is found naturally in up to five to ten percent of people.
     “However,” the alert said, “some strains are more prone to cause disease than others; our use of preventive antibiotics in this situation is aimed toward eradicating the germ from close contacts of this particular case, who appears to have had an invasive strain.”
     It is possible to immunize against meningococcal disease, and the vaccination can be given to children as young as 11 years of age.
     “Prior vaccination can provide protection of a close contact to this case,” the alert said, “but we still recommend that such persons also receive the preventive antibiotics.”

     Those with any questions regarding the alert are asked to call (509) 773-4565 or (509) 493-1558