What are the isolation precautions for viral meningitis?

Meningococcal meningitis patients should be placed on droplet precautions (private room, mask for all entering the room) until they have completed 24 hours of appropriate antibiotic therapy. Negative pressure ventilation is not required. Patients with pneumococcal or viral meningitis do not require isolation.

Does viral meningitis require isolation?

Should a person with viral meningitis be isolated? Strict isolation is not necessary. Since most cases are due to enteroviruses that may be passed in the stool, people diagnosed with viral meningitis should be instructed to thoroughly wash their hands after using the toilet.

What kind of isolation precautions are used for patients with viral encephalitis?

Isolation safety measures may be used if you have an infection that can be passed from person to person. Healthcare providers and visitors may need to wear gloves, a face mask, or a gown. Visitors should wash their hands before leaving to keep from spreading germs.

What precautions should be observed when caring for patients with chicken pox?

Airborne precautions are required to protect against airborne transmission of infectious agents. Diseases requiring airborne precautions include, but are not limited to: Measles, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Varicella (chickenpox), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Is viral meningitis airborne or droplet?

Transmission: Depends on specific virus, but for enteroviruses, generally directly by fecal-oral or respiratory droplet contact with an infected person, or indirectly by contact with articles freshly soiled with feces or throat discharges from an infected person.

Is viral meningitis airborne?

Viral meningitis is the most common type, but it’s not usually life-threatening. The enteroviruses that cause meningitis can spread through direct contact with saliva, nasal mucus, or feces. They easily spread through coughing and sneezing.

How long is someone with viral meningitis contagious?

Viral meningitis can be contagious from 3 days after infection starts to about 10 days after symptoms develop. Bacterial meningitis is usually less contagious than viral meningitis. It’s generally contagious during the incubation period and an additional 7 to 14 days.

What infections require airborne precautions?

Diseases requiring airborne precautions include, but are not limited to: Measles, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Varicella (chickenpox), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Preventing airborne transmission requires personal respiratory protection and special ventilation and air handling.