Document text
UPDATE: Bacterial meningitis confirmed in Medford school Wednesday Dec 7, 2016 at 10:18 AM Dec 7, 2016 at 3:05 PM Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune @RyanPfeil At least one student at Hedrick Middle School was sickened by bacterial meningitis, and a student at Hoover Elementary School may have been affected, too, according to Dr. Jim Shames, medical director for Jackson County Health & Human Services. The students are siblings, and the student with the confirmed illness is under treatment and "in general, doing well," Shames said. About 75 people, including students, school faculty and family members who may have been in close contact with the students have received antibiotics as a precaution, Shames said. The vaccination used to fight the disease is effective against only four of the nine types of the disease, health officials said. Which type affected the student was not immediately available. The type most commonly seen in Oregon — serogroup B, which accounts for 55 percent of the cases in the state — is not one of those four covered by the vaccine. It is not yet known what strain affected the two students, Shames said. The bacterium, Neisseria meningitidis, lives in the noses and throats of about 5 to 10 percent of the population, and becomes a concern only if it enters the bloodstream.The disease is spread through respiratory and throat secretions during close or lengthy contact. The disease is serious, but it is not highly contagious like the flu virus. "The bacteria are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with bacterial meningitis has been," a fact sheet on the disease from the county said. No schools have been closed because of the illness. "This isn't the kind of disease that would call for that," Shames said. "I mean, things could change. We could find other cases. We have not. This is not an outbreak. At the moment, we see no indication for that." Young adults are at increased risk to get the disease. It is potentially fatal, and can also result in permanent complications such as brain and kidney damage, hearing loss, and amputations of limbs or digits. Shames said HHS sent information to emergency rooms, clinics and health care providers in the area to be on the lookout for red flags that point to the disease. Symptoms of meningitis include headache, weakness, low blood pressure, and a rash, often seen on the fingernail beds or in areas where elastic in underwear or socks apply pressure to the skin. Additional symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, stiff neck and an altered mental status can also present. In infants and small children, fever and vomiting are often the only symptoms. The Medford School District sent out an email notification to all Hoover and Hedrick families Tuesday evening and followed up Wednesday with hard copies. "Out of an abundance of caution, our facilities' maintenance and custodial crew (did) extra cleaning at both the schools," said Michelle Zundel, Medford School District chief academic officer. Four district nurses were dispatched to the schools — two at each school — to answer phones Wednesday and give out information to parents calling with questions. — Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil.