The Public Health Department provides guidance and intervention in preventing the spread of the disease and in recommending treatment to exposed individuals when diseases such as this occur in the educational setting. This means that kissing, sharing food, drinks, or other things that might contain saliva can pass the infection to others. Casual contact or simply breathing the air where a person with meningococcal meningitis has been will not spread the disease. Many people carry this germ in their nose and throat without any signs of illness. Others may develop symptoms that can lead to serious illness.
Early detection is the key to prevention of serious illness.
Symptoms of the infection can occur suddenly and may include onset of high fever, intense headache, nausea, and often vomiting, stiff neck, and a rash. Symptoms may appear two to ten days after exposure to the disease but generally occur within three to four days. If your child develops symptoms, which cause you to be concerned, you should contact your doctor immediately. All images appearing on this web site are protected by federal copyright law and shall be used by anyone else for any purpose.