Pacific Sun - Meningococcal Meningitis Alert - Cruise Oct 1-11

**Ally** · 10-18-2007, 07:06 AM

A teenage girl is in a stable condition after being struck down with the deadly meningococcal disease, which may have incubated while she was on a cruise.

The bacterial infection spreads among humans and can result in limb amputation or death if not detected early.

Health experts are uncertain when or where the teenager contracted the disease and have not released any of the girl's details.

NSW health director of communicable disease Jeremy McAnulty said the teenager travelled on the P&O cruise ship Pacific Sun from October 1-11, when part of her disease incubation period may have happened.

The Pacific Sun toured a number of islands in the Pacific Ocean before returning to Sydney - its point of origin.

"Close contacts believed to be at highest risk of disease have already been contacted by public health staff and the risk to other passengers is believed to be very low," Dr McAnulty said in a statement.

The girl is being treated at a hospital in the Hunter region, north of Sydney, where she remains in a stable condition.

The first symptoms of meningococcal disease include leg pain, cold hands and feet and abnormal skin colour.

Later symptoms include high fever, headache, a stiff neck, sensitivity to bright lights, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and a blotchy purple-red rash.

"In most cases, the infection is effectively treated with antibiotics but to have the best chance, people need to be treated with injectable antibiotics as soon as the infection is suspected," Dr McAnulty said.

(Sydney Morning Herald)