A student at a New Jersey school has been diagnosed with viral meningitis, a serious and somewhat contagious inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, the school district confirmed.
Lacey Township School District Superintendent Craig D. Wigley sent a letter to parents on Friday informing them of the illness.
Viral meningitis is not as serious as bacterial meningitis, which can result in disability or death if not treated promptly, according to the Center for Disease Controls.
Still, because the symptoms of viral meningitis are similar to those of bacterial meningitis, it's important for people suspected of having the disease to seek medical care and have their spinal fluid tested, says the CDC.
Different viruses that cause viral meningitis are spread in different ways, but most commonly through direct contact with an infected person's stool.
There is no specific prevention for viral meningitis, but good personal hygiene such as frequent hand washing can help prevent it and other diseases, parents were told.
