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Blood infection cause of boy’s death
Published Friday, December 28, 2007
Cayden Burud
Acute meningococcemia has been cited as the cause of death of Cayden Burud, according to Otter Tail County Coroner Greg Smith The 5-year-old Fergus Falls boy died Dec. 11.
Acute meningococcemia (pronounced menin-go-kok-semia) is caused by the organism Neisseria meningitidis, Smith said. It gets into the blood stream, causing sepsis (a blood infection), resulting in the organs shutting down.
“What it is is an overwhelming sepsis that got into the blood stream. If (Neisseria meningitidis) is not found in the spinal fluid, technically, it’s not meningitis. Those cultures are still pending,” Smith said.
An autopsy was performed by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner.
Whether or not it was in the spinal fluid, there is no cause for alarm on the part of the public, Smith said.
Any protective action that should have been taken has been taken by now.
Neisseria meningitidis frequently lives in the upper respiratory tract without causing visible signs of illness. Meningococcemia is hard to identify because it can appear in several different forms, depending on which part of the body the bacteria invade. There can be meningitis or septicemia, or a combination of both.
“It can be very rapid and very aggressive, as it was in this case,” Smith said. “How (Cayden) got it won’t necessarily be known.”
Meningitis was first suspected in Cayden’s death, according to the Otter Tail County Department of Public Health, because he presented “meningitis-like symptoms.”
On Dec. 13, Meningococcal disease was listed as the probable cause while final tests were being performed.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by Jinx_walker (anonymous) on December 29, 2007 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
as i still say this is a very unfortunate thing to happen to any parent. hopefully with these test results it will bring some closure to the why aspect for them. i still hope that as a community we can learn something from this to aid in moving forward and learning from caydens passing.....
Posted by JamieCallahan (anonymous) on January 4, 2008 at 12:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The Meningitis Foundation of America (MFA), a national organization, would like the public and media to know that information is available regarding the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of meningitis. MFA was founded by parents whose children were affected by meningitis. In addition to supporting vaccines and other means of preventing meningitis, the MFA provides information to educate the public and medical professionals so that the early diagnosis, treatment and, most important, prevention of meningitis, will save lives.
Meningitis is a dangerous and sometimes fatal inflammation of the brain and/or spinal cord that can leave survivors with serious life-long physical problems such as deafness, brain damage and other disabilities. Complications from bacterial meningitis can sometimes result in loss of limbs.
MFA has many spokespersons available. If you would like to arrange an interview with a spokesperson please call Scott Lawson, Development Director or myself Jamie Callahan, General Manager of the MFA. A MFA press kit and, for television producers, b-roll footage is available upon request. For further information, visit the MFA website at www.musa.org.
Thank you,
Ms. Jamie Callahan, General Manager
Meningitis Foundation of America
6610 North Shadeland Ave.
Suite 220
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(800) 668-1129 ext.7
jcallahan@musa.org
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