KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Update: Two confirmed cases of meningitis in Bienville Parish

Update: Two confirmed cases of meningitis in Bienville Parish

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - Parents, students and health officials are on high alert in one Ark-La-Tex community, now that two cases of meningitis has been confirmed. The students attend school in Gibsland, Louisiana.

A letter has been sent to all parents who have children at Gibsland-Coleman School, a K-12 school, in Bienville Parish. They have confirmed that a 13-year-old female student in the 6^th grade has come down with meningitis.

They don't know what strain, but they have confirmed that it is bacterial, and it could be neiserria. It will take five to six days to figure it out and pinpoint the strain.

Bienville Schools superintendent has also stated that there is another probable case within the school system. They have not confirmed the age of that child.

A 17-year-old male in the 12^th grade who attended the same school died over the weekend. Initial autopsy reports indicate that his death was not due to meningitis; however health officials will now be looking at his death again with additional autopsies.

"We have to use extreme care and extreme caution, and we try use information and the best medical advice we can get," says William Britt, Superintendent of Bienville Parish Schools. "And we've relied on Dr. White with the Office of Public Health, DHHR, to help provide that information and direction to us."

MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE FACTS:
**Adolescents and young adults have an increased incidence of meningococcal disease, accounting for nearly 30 percent of all U.S. cases. One out of four cases among adolescents will result in death.
**The majority of meningococcal disease cases among adolescents and young adults are potentially vaccine-preventable.
**Each year, meningococcal disease strikes nearly 3,000 Americans, and 10 to 12 percent of those infected will die.
**Up to 20 percent of survivors have long-term disabilities such as brain damage, hearing loss, or limb amputations.
**The disease can take one of two forms: swelling of membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meningococcal meningitis), or the more deadly meningococcemia, an infection of the blood.
**Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis.
**The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends meningococcal immunizations (one shot) for adolescents 11 through 18 years of age.

(source: National Meningitis Association)

MENINGITIS CASES: 2003-2007
2003
AR-21
LA-43
TX-105
US-1,756

2004
AR-20
LA-37
TX-72
US-1,361

2005
AR-18
LA-32
TX-61
US-1,245

2006
AR-11
LA-36
TX-45
US-1,194

2007
AR-9
LA-NA
TX-55
US-NA

(source: 2003-2006 CDC; 2007 TX Dept. of Health & AR Dept. of Health)

More information on ksla.com:
Meningitis overview from the Center for Disease Control
National Meningitis Association
Meningitis info from the LA Department of Health & Hospitals
Meningitis info from the Texas Department of Health
AR Department of Health