By: Fred Tasker
Source: The Miami Herald
Miami-Dade health officials are warning residents about a rare and deadly strain of meningitis that has killed four people in South Florida and infected eight others in the past six months.
County health officials advised that anyone experiencing symptoms such as severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck, should see a doctor immediately or visit emergency rooms.
The strain, called W135, is fast-acting and can kill a person within hours of symptoms arising, said Dr. Vincent Conte, senior physician at the Miami-Dade Department of Health. ‘This type is readily curable with antibiotics if it’s caught in time,” Conte said. “Unfortunately, if it’s not caught in time, it’s a virulent strain that can progress to serious illness and death in four to six hours. The strain can have a mortality rate of up to 18 percent”, he said.  “Several antibiotics are effective against the strain”, Conte said.
