D.C. Student Dies of Meningitis

By DERRILL HOLLY
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - City health officials believe a 6-year-old boy probably died from bacterial meningitis, and they moved Wednesday to calm jittery parents of his classmates.

The unidentified child was a student at Webb Elementary School in Northeast Washington. He died Friday and District of Columbia Department of Health officials were notified of the death Saturday.

"We immediately contacted the family to begin our investigation," said Interim Deputy Health Director Dr. Karyn Berry. She said the D.C. Public Schools were notified Sunday. Schools were closed for a snow day on Monday, but a letter and fact sheet went home to parents Tuesday.

Berry said the boy was last at school on Feb. 18. He was suffering from flu-like symptoms. His family members are receiving antibiotics as a precaution. But health officials stressed that it was unlikely any classmates are at risk.

"Generally you have to have that mouth-to-mouth contact," said Berry. She added that health investigators have checked with the teacher in the boy's class in an effort to determine the risk of other students having had close contact with the victim.

"This bacteria is not easily spread like the flu or a cold," said Berry.

Meningitis causes a swelling of the lining of the brain. A fact sheet distributed by the health department says headache, muscular stiffness in the upper body, high fever and rashes are among the symptoms.

Although a final confirmation of bacterial meningitis has not been made, officials are working under the suspicion that that's what it was. The health department is waiting for the results of a specimen culture to determine whether it is a confirmed case of bacterial meningitis, and what strain is responsible.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)