Precautions Reduce Meningitis Risk

An outbreak of bacterial meningitis north of Houston along with reported cases in other nearby areas signal the public's need to stay alert to prevent a possible infection.

"Meningitis is a serious illness," said Dr. Raouf Arafat, chief of the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Houston Department of Health and Human Services. "Although meningitis is not very common, it is imperative that people have information about precautions which will safeguard them against the deadly consequences of the disease. During periods when the number of reported cases increases or an outbreak occurs, this knowledge becomes crucial."

From Oct. 1, 2000 though Jan. 21, 2001, there were eight cases in Harris County and 18 cases in surrounding counties, the highest number occurring in Montgomery County. During the same period, there were nine cases in Houston but none were clusters or related to each other socially or geographically, nor related to clusters outside the city in any way.

The Houston crude case rate for all types of meningococcal disease and all ages is 0.46 per 100,000 population. For the age group 2 years to 24 years, the crude case rate is 0.4 per 100,000 population. The recommended threshold for mass immunization is 10 cases per 100,000 population.

Meningitis is an infectious disease that causes an inflammation of the layers covering a person's brain and spinal cord. The bacteria that cause meningitis can spread from person to person through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions such as coughing and kissing. Those in the same household or daycare center, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions, would be considered at increased risk of acquiring the infection. The bacteria are not spread by casual contact.

Symptoms include sudden onset of high fever, intense headache, stiff neck and nausea, often accompanied by vomiting.

Upper respiratory infections flourish in the winter months due to increased indoor close contact. People can significantly reduce their risk of infection, including the potentially deadly meningococcal disease, by following a few common-sense precautions. Here are a few tips from the health department:

• Maintain personal space. As little as 36 inches will significantly reduce the potential inhalation of virus or bacteria expelled (sneezed or coughed) by an infected person
• Never share beverages. Teenagers are particularly guilty of sharing soft drinks, straws and other beverage containers. Athletes are also tempted to share water bottles or water ladles when working out. All sports participants should have their own bottles or cups for water.
• Don't share cigarettes. Smoking irritates the lungs and throat making them more vulnerable to infection. Smokers who share the same cigarette may infect each other with a communicable disease.
• Don't share food. Do not allow others to take a bite of your sandwich or piece of fruit, etc. Do not offer a bite of food off of your fork to someone else and do not accept bites from others.
• Wash hands frequently. Frequent hand washing will remove germs which may have been picked up from contaminated surfaces.

Practicing good hygiene translates into a diminished risk of contracting meningitis.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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