Encampment School alerts parents about Meningitis case

Parents of students at the Encampment K-12 School received a letter last week informing them of a case of bacterial meningitis contracted by a school employee. In a letter to the school from Dr. Dean Bartholomew of the Platte Valley Medical Clinic, parents were assured, “...we will NOT need to treat those who were in contact the employee prophylactically with antibiotics at this time.”

According to Dr. Bartholomew, it is important to note that the severity of meningitis depends on the type of bacteria. Based on the preliminary cultures taken from the patient, this form of bacteria, “...likely is going to be streptococcus pneumoniae and NOT the much more lethal bacteria called neisseria meningitides,” Bartholomew said in the letter to school officials.

Streptococcus bacteria, found in the noses of the vast majority of the population, is the cause of the infection and is a normal inhabitant along with other bacteria which can cause ear infections in children. The route by which a person can then get meningitis from this bacteria would be when a person develops pneumonia from the bacteria when they get a chest cold and have congestion that moves the bacteria into the bloodstream, Bartholomew said.

While the streptococcus bacteria is not the more dangerous form of meningitis, Bartholomew still cautioned that it can still be passed to others who come into contact with an infected person and can cause illnesses that range from mild respiratory tract infections like bronchitis to more severe ones like pneumonia.

“My recommendations moving forward would be that anyone who was in contact with the employee over the last week who does develop a respiratory tract infection in the next several weeks, especially with fever, should be seen by a medical provider,” Bartholomew said.

In a phone interview on Friday, Bartholomew also advised if a cold lasts longer than 7-10 days, or a person develops a sinus or ear infection, they should see a health care provider and that risk factors can include a weakened immune system, smoking and if a person already has pneumonia or other illnesses that affect the immune system.