West Windsor school has viral meningitis alert

By: Nick Norlen
   WEST WINDSOR — A Village Elementary School student has been diagnosed with viral meningitis, district officials said Thursday.
   A state Health Department investigation has determined that "no treatment is necessary at this time for anyone that has come in contact with the student," according to a letter sent home to district parents Thursday signed by District Health Officer Dr. Gerald Raymond and district nurse coordinator Cindy Jenkins.
   According to the Centers for Disease Control’s Web site, viral meningitis is the most common form of meningitis and "is serious but rarely fatal in persons with normal immune systems.
   Usually, the symptoms last from 7 to 10 days and the patient recovers completely."
   The site says that the less common bacterial meningitis, "on the other hand, can be very serious and result in disability or death if not treated promptly."
   The district letter says that "viral meningitis is a relatively common, but rarely serious syndrome," but warns parents to seek immediate medical attention if their children exhibit symptoms such as "fever, headache, stiff neck, fatigue, rash, sore throat, and intestinal symptoms."
   According to the letter, "Anyone can get viral meningitis, but it occurs most often in children. Symptoms generally appear within one week of exposure. Outbreaks of viral meningitis are rare.
   No special sanitation precautions are needed. Since some of the viruses that can cause meningitis are found in stool, children should be encouraged to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating."
   Neither Dr. Raymond nor Ms. Jenkins could be reached for comment Thursday.