Neighbor had Bacterial Meningitis!

C

crazyhorsegirl

New member
My question is, it's been a couple of weeks since my neighbor has had the Bacterial Meningitis. Her husband came over to talk to me and shook my hand when he came over. It was only after he shook my hand and then told me about his wife. He said that he had to take some pill to keep him protected from getting it and that it was a "one time pill" first of all, is there really such a thing as a one time pill? If so, how long does it stay in the body? My question is, should I be concerned because he shook my hand?? I know that they say hand washing, hand washing, hand washing and hand washing is so important but if someone has that bacteria on their hands is it really as simple as washing with soap and water? Thanks to all who can help!:wave:
 
Bacterial Meningitis is not spread by casual contact. You would have had to be exposed directly to the infected person and have had prolonged and repeated exposures to their respiratory and throat secretions. It's more difficult to get Bacterial Meningitis than to get a cold or flu.
 
So is it pretty unlikely that even if the husband took this what I call "wonder pill" to keep him from getting it, and say the pill didn't work and he was carrying the bacteria (say on his hands) but he didn't get sick from it, a person really can't get it through that kind of casual contact (hand shaking) even if the bacteria is there, right? I have also heard that Bacterial Meningitis is rare in the US and usually it's isolated cases but it says that it is contagious. How can it be both? What is the common cause of getting BM?
 
It's highly unlikely that he passed the disease to you, whether he took the pill or not. You don't get from hand shaking. The disease is rare and isolated because it is difficult to pass it from one person to another. It's contagious, but much less so than diseases like the cold or flu. You get from being in prolonged close contact with an infected person.
 
Back
Top