St. Anne School Pupil Has Bacterial Meningitis

A case of bacterial meningitis has been confirmed for a sick pupil at the on Hickory Street, according to the city health bureau.

In a letter to parents, posted through a link on the school Website, the bureau said that classmates of the sick student "are not considered at significant risk.”

However, anyone who has sharing certain items, such as eating utensils, or saliva with the sick child are most at risk. Preventative treatment with antibiotics may be recommended.

According to the letter, onset of the disease “is usually sudden and symptoms include fever, vomiting, excessive sleepiness, stiff neck and back pain and a possible rash.”

Other symptoms of meningitis might include nausea, sensitivity to light and confusion.

“If your child develops any symptoms you should contact your health care provider immediately,” the letter says.

Two students contracted meningococcal meningitis in November. The university responded by on campus.

“Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial form of meningitis, a serious infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord,” according to the World Health Organization.

It can cause severe brain damage and is fatal in 50 percent of cases that go untreated.