Lifetime Fitness employee with bacterial meningitis dies
Today the Macomb County Health Department confirmed the death of a Macomb County resident from meningococcal meningitis.
Kristy Malter, 21 was a camp counselor at Lifetime Fitness where she worked at a day camp with children from July 1 to July 11 at the gym's location in Rochester Hills.
The family has asked that their privacy be respected during this very difficult time of grief and mourning.
General questions about meningococcal meningitis can be directed to the Macomb County Health Department. However, the department will not address any questions specific to this resident.
Meningococcal meningitis is a serious infection involving the tissues around the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion and sometimes a skin rash. About 10-15 out of 100 people who develop meningococcal disease will die.
Meningococcal meningitis is spread by contact with the saliva or nasal secretions from someone who is sick or who carries the bacteria. Contact may involve kissing or coughing on someone. It can also be spread by sharing a cup, water bottle or eating utensils.
The Macomb County Health Department and the Oakland County Health Division have been working to identify individuals who had close contact with the case, recommending medical evaluation and preventive treatment with a short course of antibiotics. There have been no additional cases of meningococcal meningitis identified.
It is very important that people identified as close contacts follow through with re
commendations for preventive treatment. Close contacts who develop any of the signs or symptoms of meningococcal meningitis should seek immediate medical evaluation.
The most effective way to protect yourself or your child against meningococcal meningitis is to complete the recommended vaccination schedule.
Persons who have questions about meningococcal meningitis may contact the Macomb County Health Department Communicable Disease Program at (586) 783-8190. Persons who have questions about vaccination or who wish to be vaccinated should contact the Macomb County Health Department Immunization Clinic at (586) 469-5372.