This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah County Health Department is investigating several cases of viral meningitis involving Lone Peak High School students, according to a department announcement Friday.
The cases include fewer than 10 students, department spokeswoman Aislynn Tolman-Hill said, and are unlikely to require action by school administrators to suspend classes.
"Since this is viral, as opposed to bacterial, that's one of the reasons we say an outbreak is unlikely," she said. "The meningitis itself is not something that is contagious."
Viral meningitis refers to an inflammation of tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord, leading to symptoms of headache, fever, stiff neck and vomiting.
Infectious viruses commonly exist in a community, Tolman-Hill said, and exposure to those viruses can lead to symptoms similar to a common cold or develop into conditions like meningitis.
Symptoms are often mild and typically short-lasting, Tolman-Hill said, but young children and individuals with compromised immune systems are at higher risk for complications.
"It really is very important that you do seek medical care," she said. "That's one of the things we recommend."
She said residents should exercise general health practices, like washing hands and refraining from touching their eyes and mouths, as preventive measures.
School administrators in Utah County have cooperated with the health department, she said, and classes are expected to continue as regularly scheduled.
"There's not really any concerns that we have or they have in terms of needing to take any additional precautions," Tolman-Hill said.
In a prepared statement, Utah County Health Department Nursing Division Director Steve Mickelson stressed the importance of everyone, and particularly students, being up to date on vaccinations.
"One or more vaccinations lend protection related to meningitis and other illnesses," he said. "Vaccinations not only protect us as individuals, but also protect the community as a whole."
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