Carson City residents exposed to meningitis were treated

Fifteen Carson City residents who were exposed to bacterial meningitis at a party in California had no signs of contracting the contagious disease, said a city disease investigator.

Dustin Boothe, Carson City health and human service disease investigator, said Monday the patients were advised to go to Sierra Family Health Center, where they were treated with antibiotics.

"I advised them that it was in their best interest to get antibiotics," he said. "Antibiotics kills this with one dose."

Boothe was contacted last week by the Eldorado County Health Department about a woman treated for bacterial meningitis, which causes an inflammation of the spinal cord and can be life threatening. Boothe said he contacted all those on the list by Wednesday night.

The incubation time is from two to 10 days.

Symptoms of the acute bacterial disease include extreme fever, neck and back stiffness and nausea.

Those who were exposed were treated before showing any signs of infection.