If a college student comes down with meningitis, would all of the other students who took classes in those same buildings also have to get tested, even if they weren't experiencing any of the symptoms and if so, what exactly would that testing entail?
Where I go to college, something's going around that, according to my mother, who is a nurse, a possible precursor to meningitis and I was just wondering what exactly I would have to go through, as far as testing is concerned, should either any of my classmates or another person attending a class in one of the same buildings that I do comes down with meningitis.
2007-01-28 11:50:55 · 3 answers · asked by Blue Rose Thorn 6 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
well someone would actually have to come down with meningitis for everyone to get tested. If you are concerned you can always ask the doc for a test anyway. The doctors usually look for a fever, rash, vomiting, headaches and check your lymph nodes for inflammation and ask you if you have any pain in your neck especially if you turn your neck up and down. If you have any of these early symptoms then they upgrade to a lumbar puncture to test for it. It isnt as painful as it used to be because they use anesthetics and has its risks but it can tell for sure if it is meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is treatable with antibiotics, viral meningitis has to run its course out of the body.
2007-01-28 15:10:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lumbar puncture is done if you suspect meningitis in a person, not in all contacts. Find out what meningitis bug is going around, then take a prophlactic antibiotic for it, such as Rifampicin. Usually, the bug is Neisseria meningitidis, but make sure and see a doctor for prophylaxis.
2007-01-28 16:36:14 · answer #2 · answered by yakkydoc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spinal tap, very painful, may pass out from the pain
2007-01-28 13:02:27 · answer #3 · answered by Sid B 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋