Bacterial meningitis suspected in B.C. teen's death
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 | 5:14 PM PT
CBC News
The Fraser Health Authority has confirmed that a Grade 10 student at Dr. Charles Best Secondary School in Coquitlam has died suddenly from what's believed to be bacterial meningitis.
School officials have brought in grief counsellors to help students deal with the death of Brodie Campbell, who was a popular student at the school.
Health officials are also offering antibiotics to anyone who may have been in close contact with the teen who died, including family members.
Early Tuesday, Campbell's parents told staff their son had died suddenly.
Jeff Johnstone, who is the vice-principal of the school, also coached the boy in rugby.
"He was just a well-liked kid, and I know the boys on my rugby team saw him as a very important [team] member, that was someone who was always there to support them in the game of rugby, and to lend a hand to help a guy up, whether it was the opposition, or a fellow teammate."
Meningitis can attack the brain
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord and brain, and can affect the lining of the brain or cause a blood infection.
The symptoms are flu-like, including fever, a severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, sleeplessness, sensitivity to bright lights, respiratory infection. They also include a reddish-purple bruise-like rash.
The meningococcal bacteria can be spread by direct contact with the saliva of an infected person, through kissing or the sharing of food, drinks, water bottles, cigarettes or mouthpieces of musical instruments.
Health officials say there is no increased risk from handshaking or hand-holding, or being in the same area as an infected person.
About 35 to 50 cases are reported in B.C. every year, with an average of three people a year dying of bacterial meningitis.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- Court injunction halts Invermere deer cull
- The Invermere Deer Protection Organization has successfully halted an urban deer cull, through a temporary court injunction against the District of Invermere. more »
- Stanley Cup rioter seen in brick attack on cop
- Vancouver police have released video of a suspect who hit an officer in the head with a two-kilogram brick during the Stanley Cup riot. more »
- Osoyoos Times apologizes for 'slanderous' RCMP article
- The editor of the Osoyoos Times is apologizing after writing a scathing editorial that alleged he was disrespected and humiliated by a local RCMP officer. Keith Lacey now says his actions were inappropriate and he is "deeply sorry." more »
- B.C. Mountie pleads not guilty in fatal Delta crash
- An RCMP officer involved in a 2008 crash that killed a motorcyclist in Delta, B.C., has pleaded not guilty to one charge of obstruction of justice. more »
Top News Headlines
- Whitney Houston's body headed home to New Jersey
- Whitney Houston's body was flown out of Los Angeles, and headed to New Jersey, where her family was making arrangements for a funeral at the end of the week. more »
- Mandatory gun sentence struck down by Ontario judge
- An Ontario Superior Court judge has struck down a mandatory minimum sentence for a first offence of possessing a loaded firearm. more »
- Online surveillance critics siding with child porn: Toews
- Critics of a bill that would give law enforcement new powers to access Canadians' electronic communications are aligning themselves with child pornographers, Canada's public safety minister says. more »
- Low vitamin D in womb tied to poor language skills
- Children born to women who had low levels of vitamin D during their pregnancy are more likely to have language problems, a new study suggests. more »
- 'Disgusting' court backlog may free hit and run accused
- B.C. premier delivers talk show 'throne speech'
- Former Stanley Park petting zoo goats feared slaughtered
- Adults-only trade show cancelled in B.C. Bible belt
- Vancouver police release Stanley Cup riot suspect video
- Crane drops section of Port Mann bridge into B.C. river
- No cameras allowed at Vancouver riot trial
- Osoyoos Times apologizes for 'slanderous' RCMP article
- B.C. Mountie pleads not guilty in fatal Delta crash

