DANIEL TYLER GOODEN

RESERVE – Too soon after the death of Stephanie Wilking from meningococcal meningitis, the community must again deal with another meningitis death. Justin Davis, 12, of Reserve died Saturday night at the Winn Parish Medical Center in Winnfield while visiting relatives. “He definitely brought the bacteria with him,” said Dr. Randolf Williams, Winn Parish coroner. Davis was taken to the hospital late Friday night after arriving in Winn Parish. With flue-like symptoms the hospital prescribed Tami Flu and sent Davis Home. “He took one dose and was violently ill,” said Williams. The family returned to the hospital and Davis was admitted. He died at 11:30 Saturday night. The hospital administered medication to various individuals to prevent their contracting the bacteria, said Williams. Though this death heralds the second fatal case of meningitis in St. John Parish, this does not add up to an epidemic. Both youths died of meningitis, but were infected by two different strains. The difficulty in treating the bacteria is in the speed it can develop. The bacteria can move fast, infecting the bloodstream or the lining of the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms are very similar to the flu, high fever, headache and vomiting, and can be mistaken for such until it is too late to treat. There are about 80 bacterial meningitis cases reported to the state each year. Less than five are typically fatal. Early treatment is the savior in such cases. There are several antibiotics that can be used to stop the illness short, but only if treated early enough. Davis was a student in Laura Lipps’ seventh grade class at Leon Godchaux Junior High School in Reserve. The school informed parents on Tuesday of Davis’s death.