A meningitis infection affected three Baton Rouge area teenagers over the holiday break, resulting in two deaths and causing one University student to be hospitalized.
Allison Vizinat, a 19-year-old Southeastern Louisiana University sophomore, died Dec. 13 from the infection. On Dec. 19, Louis Lange III, a 15-year-old sophomore at Starkey Academy in Central, also died from meningitis.
Heidi Graves, a 19-year-old University sophomore, was hospitalized on Christmas Day with the infection. Her brother, Cecil Graves, said Heidi is expected to make a full recovery.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, meningitis is an infection of the fluid in and around a person’s spinal cord and brain.
Meningitis can be caused by either a viral or a bacterial infection, according to the CDC. Viral meningitis is generally less severe and may resolve itself without specific treatment. However, bacterial meningitis can be very severe and may cause brain damage, hearing loss and learning disabilities.
State epidemiologist Dr. Raoult Ratard said common symptoms of meningitis include headaches, nausea, sensitivity to light, a stiff neck and confusion. Ratard said these symptoms may be mistaken for the flu until they become more severe.
Cecil Graves said Heidi came down with flu-like symptoms, but had severe pain and stiffness in her neck, which alerted family members that something else may have been wrong.
“It’s a guessing game, but the neck problems were a big hint,” Cecil said.
Cecil Graves said family members brought Heidi to the emergency room on Christmas Day, where doctors immediately placed Heidi on antibiotics and gave family members a pill to kill any infection they may have contracted.
Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious and can be spread through such actions as kissing or coughing. However, the infection is not as contagious as most common illnesses like the cold or flu. The CDC said meningitis is not spread through casual contact or breathing the same air as an infected person.
However, with certain strains of meningitis, those who have close or prolonged contact with an infected person may have a higher chance of contracting the illness, making college students who live in apartments or residence halls more at risk for the infection.
Ratard said the most feared type of meningitis is the meningococcal strain, which can become the most severe.
However, Ratard said a 95 percent effective vaccine is available to prevent contracting meningococcal meningitis.
Despite the recent concerns, Ratard said severe meningitis is “a rare disease,” and only one or two per 100,000 people in Louisiana contract meningococcal meningitis each year.