Bacterial Infection Blamed in 2 Deaths

A fast-acting bacterial infection similar to meningitis killed a baby and a teenager in Ventura County in the last eight days, health officials said Wednesday.

Public Health Officer Robert Levin issued a countywide alert to doctors this week about meningococcemia causing a pediatric death Dec. 21 and the death of a 19-year-old Christmas morning.

The two cases appear unrelated, according to the alert. Each patient died within hours of being taken to an emergency room.

Meningococcemia, a type of blood poisoning, is an infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis.

This bacterium also can lead to meningitis, or the inflammation of membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Both diseases are more likely to affect infants, teenagers and young adults than older people.

“Both are very serious,” said Kim Kandarian, the county’s public health communicable disease coordinator, but meningococcemia “moves very quickly and causes organ failure. By the time you can diagnose what’s going on, generally, they are too far gone.”

The infant, whose identity was not released, had a purple rash. The 19-year-old victim, identified by the county medical examiner’s office as Thomas Kent of Ventura, experienced extremely low blood pressure.

Kandarian said between 5% and 15% of the population carry the bacterium in their noses and throats but have no symptoms. Physicians and scientists are unsure what leads to an outbreak, but the disease is spread via saliva or respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes.

About two dozen family members, friends and others who came in recent contract with the victims were treated with antibiotics and are not considered to be in danger.

Each year, about 3,000 Americans contract meningococcal disease -- a variety of brain, spinal and blood infections that includes meningitis. About 300 of them die. Kandarian said it has been at least three years since the last Ventura County fatality linked to this disease.

Dr. Robert Schechter, a medical officer with the state Department of Health Services’ immunization branch, said a vaccine that protects against four of the five types of Neisseria meningitidis became available this year. Immunizations are recommended for children 2 and younger, preteens and students living in college dorms.

Schechter said that along with being vaccinated, common-sense hygiene measures such as covering coughs and sneezes, frequently washing hands and staying home from work or school when ill are recommended.