What does it mean when a case of “bacterial meningitis” is reported? Do other people in the community face any special risks?
Generally, the answer is no. Although outbreaks of this disease do occur, they’re relatively uncommon. Most cases are isolated and sporadic, and they don’t signal the beginning of any sort of “outbreak.” It’s relatively rare to see two or more related cases occurring in the same place, within the same general time frame. When they do occur, these “clusters” of illness are generally confined to some setting like a school or college. “Sporadic” cases, on the other hand, are not uncommon.
