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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

US, Tennessee : Knox viral meningitis cases spur caution

Via Knox News, excerpt :

A cluster of five viral meningitis cases, possibly related, caused the Knox County Health Department to distribute information about the illness and its symptoms to some area schools and day-care centers.

“Parents get concerned (when) they hear the word ‘ meningitis,’” said Health Department Director Dr. Martha Buchanan, who added that privacy laws prevented her from telling whether the cases were in children or adults, or in what schools.
Viral meningitis — inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord — can be caused by a variety of different viruses, some of which are required to be reported, and some of which are not. In this case, the Health Department was involved because five cases appear to be connected. Though a cause hasn’t been identified, Buchanan said, there have been no new cases, and some of those who were ill already have recovered."

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