Question

A schoolteacher calls the nurse and asks whether all the children at school need treatment after exposure to a 7-year-old child with bacterial meningitis. The nurse responds that chemoprophylaxis should be given to:

Option 1: All students at the school
Option 2: Only those who had direct contact with the infected child
Option 3: Only the siblings of the infected child
Option 4: None of the children at school

Answer 1

The appropriate response is that chemoprophylaxis should be given to individuals with direct contact with the infected child. This targeted approach is in line with practices aiming to prevent the spread of bacterial meningitis while avoiding unnecessary medication use.

Step-by-step explanation:

In responding to the schoolteacher's question about whether all children need treatment after exposure to a 7-year-old child with bacterial meningitis, the nurse would consider the current guidelines for prophylaxis. According to the information provided, prophylactic treatment with antibiotics is recommended for those who have had significant contact with an infected individual. Furthermore, vaccination against certain types of meningitis is practiced preventing the outbreak and spread of the disease. Given these points, the most appropriate answer would be Option 2: Only those who had direct contact with the infected child. This targeted approach minimizes unnecessary medication use and focuses on those most at risk of contracting meningitis due to close contact. Additionally, colleges sometimes mandate vaccinations for students in communal living spaces to prevent outbreaks, which further supports targeted rather than universal prophylaxis.