Lacey School District Student Diagnosed With Viral Meningitis

LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - A student in the Lacey Township school district was recently diagnosed with viral meningitis, Superintendent Craig Wigley said in a letter sent home to parents on Friday.

"While this is upsetting, the chance of your child or you becoming ill with this disease is very small," he said.

Viral meningitis is not the same as bacterial meningitis.

"People who get viral meningitis usually recover completely with rest and fever-reducing medicine," Wigley said in the letter.

Facts about viral meningitis:

• Viral meningitis can occur throughout the year, but is most common in the summer and fall. People of any age can get viral meningitis, but it is more frequent in children.

• About 90 percent of viral meningitis cases are due to common stomach viruses called enteroviruses. Enteroviruses are passed from person to person through stool or saliva (spit), but most people who come in contact with enteroviruses do not develop an infection. This is because their immune system fights the virus successfully.

• Getting infected with one of the germs that can cause viral meningitis does not automatically mean a person will get meningitis. In most cases, the germ will simply cause a cold, upset stomach or diarrhea.

• There is no specific prevention for viral meningitis. However, good personal hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, can reduce the chances of catching viral meningitis and other illnesses.

• Antibiotics are not effective against viruses.

If you have questions or want additional information, contact your family doctor or the Ocean County Department of Health at 732-341-9700, ext. 7515.

Patch file photo