It was late Friday afternoon that the confirmation came that a Barton County adult had indeed died of Neisseria meningitidis, which can cause meningococcal meningitis. This sparked a joint investigation by the Barton Count Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. 

But, Barton County Health Director Shelly Schneider said Monday that no more cases had been found. “Currently, there is no evidence to suggest the general public is at an increased risk of developing meningitis.”  

Also, all those who the victim had come in contact with had been located and those 28 individuals had received precautionary treatment.

“The family (of the victim) was ever so kind,” Schneider said. Family members helped health officials track down those who had been around the victim.

A vaccine is available to protect individuals from certain types of meningococcal meningitis, Schneider said. While the vaccine is not used to treat people who have already been exposed to an infected person, it can prevent future infections.

The Health Department does have vaccines that match this strain of meningitis, she said. It is approved for ages as young as 2 months, but is recommended for those 11 and older.

Meningococcal meningitis is an infection of the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include a sudden onset of fever, headache, stiff neck, chills, and feeling unusually weak or tired. Nausea, vomiting, altered mental state, and a dark purple rash may also be present.

N. meningitidis is only spread from person-to-person by sharing throat or respiratory secretions (saliva or spit). One must be in close contact with a sick person’s saliva or respiratory secretions in order for the bacteria to spread. 

Close contact can include being directly sneezed or coughed upon, kissing, sharing a water bottle, or sharing eating/drinking utensils. It is not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends post-exposure antibiotics for household, close or intimate contacts during the seven days prior to illness onset. Health care professionals who had unprotected contact with the respiratory secretions will also receive post-exposure antibiotics.  

Questions may be directed to the Barton County Health Department at 620-793-1902 or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317.