|
140-plus take meningitis pills
Published February 19, 2008
ANGLETON — More than 140 students and adults went to Angleton pharmacies to receive treatment to prevent them from contracting bacterial meningitis after a sixth-grade Angleton Middle School student was diagnosed with the disease Friday.
Angleton Medicine Shoppe Pharmacist David Spence compiled the numbers from local pharmacies in a poll Saturday for the county health department.
Pharmacies in Angleton said after they found out about the incident, they ordered more of the antibiotics and have plenty of the treatment available for anyone who has not already received it.
Symptoms of meningitis begin to show up between four and 10 days after exposure, said Tama Lee, a board member for the National Meningitis Association.
School officials were unable to release information on the boy’s condition late Monday, but Pat Montgomery, Angleton ISD’s assistant superintendent, said Friday the boy was receiving medical treatment.
“Our first concern is the well-being of all of our students,” said Hanna Chalmers, Angleton ISD’s public information officer. “We have taken every measure that we can think of to inform parents, not just on that campus, but in the entire district, about the situation.”
School officials called the parents of children who came in direct contact with the boy Friday afternoon and letters also were sent home with all the students, providing information about meningitis to the parents.
Local pharmacies were given a list of all students and faculty at the middle school campus.
“That way if anyone felt like they wanted their child to get the preventative medicine, they could go up there with a student ID and their name would be on that list and they could receive the medicine,” Chalmers said.
Anyone who believes they were exposed should receive treatment as soon as possible, she said.
The medication available at all Angleton pharmacies prevents the spread of bacterial meningitis, Spence said.
He totaled the number of treatments sold as of noon Saturday and said 127 children had received the Rifampin, the medicine given to people younger than 18 in the form of a series of eight pills.
The treatment for adults is called Cipro and is given in one dose, he said.
This treatment does not prevent people from contracting meningitis in the future, though, Lee said.
“The thing that a lot of people get confused is that people make the assumption that because they’ve had the Rifampin or the Cipro, that they’re protected,” she said.
The treatment kills the bacteria if it’s present, but does not prevent people from contracting the bacteria again after having the antibiotic, Lee said.
“The vaccination is a totally different thing,” she said. “What that does is protect against four of the five strains of meningococcal disease and not only does it protect you, but you can no longer be a carrier of the bacteria, so you can’t pass it to anyone else.”
Bacterial meningitis is a dangerous version of meningococcal disease and symptoms begin as those similar to the flu virus, Lee said.
“The early symptoms are similar to the flu, with a fever, headache, nausea, vomiting,” Lee said. “But you could also possibly see a stiff neck, a sensitivity to the light, a little altered mental status and sometimes seizures. There’s also a rash that can occur.”
Lee cautions that not all of the symptoms are going to be seen. The distinction between the flu and meningitis is that meningitis works quickly and symptoms get worse very fast.
---
TAKE YOUR
MEDICINE
Angleton pharmacies that will carry Cipro and Rifampin:
Medicine Man
131 E. Hospital Drive. (979) 849-4353
Medicine Shoppe
2301 E. Mulberry St.; (979) 849-9391
CVS Pharmacy
1112 E. Mulberry St.; (979) 849-8294
Kroger
1804 N. Velasco St.; (979) 849-5460
Wal-Mart
1801 N. Velasco St.; (979) 849-3028
Walgreens
1001 N Velasco St.; (979) 849-2315
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
|
|
 |
|
FREE BAY BOAT WITH WATERFRONT PURCHASE Get
...
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
