(November 21, 2006) — On Nov. 15, senior Danny Stickar stood in line in the Crescenta Valley High School gymnasium, along with hundreds of C.V. students waiting in line to receive free antibiotics to prevent a possible outbreak of meningitis. “It was a really big deal,” said Stickar. “I felt a little relieved knowing that I didn’t have to worry about the meningitis scare.” Stickar and eleven other Clark students were just a few of approximately 2,800 C.V. students, staff and family who participated in the preventive measures that resulted from two cases of meningitis at C.V. Word regarding the incident was spread when last Tuesday at around 4 p.m., C.V. Principal Linda Evans left an urgent automated voice message on the answering machines of all Crescenta Valley High School households regarding two students diagnosed with Meningococcal meningitis. According to the message, senior Ashley Insalaco and junior Garegen Iskandari were diagnosed with the bacterial infection and immediately informed the school’s administration about it. In order to prevent further contamination of students and staff, the Los Angeles County Health Department along with the Glendale Health Center set up a clinic that night in the school’s gymnasium, where antibiotic pills were distributed from 6 to 10 p.m. and on the following day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students needed to be accompanied by a parent or have a signed permission slip in order to receive the antibiotics. Although meant mainly for C.V. students and staff, the antibiotics were also distributed to athletes and ROTC members from Clark. Local news organizations, including KNBC Channel 4, the La Cañada Valley Sun , the Los Angeles Times and the Glendale News Press were on campus to investigate the event. According to the Glendale News Press, 2,800 people were waiting in line to get antibiotics on Tuesday night. They were asked about their medical history and then given either one or two pills of ciprofloxacin. According to webmd.com , Meningitis is a rare infection that affects membranes, called meninges, around the brain or spinal cord. Meningococcal meningitis, the type found in the C.V. students, is classified as a bacterial form of meningitis that may be life-threatening. It is caused by the bacterium known as Neisseria meningitides , which is found in young adults and develops from bacteria entering into the bloodstream from an infection. The bacteria then travel through the bloodstream and into the brain. It is often hard to distinguish this infection from the common cold or flu. Symptoms include fever, severe headache, nausea, sore throat, muscle ache, vomiting, and even a runny nose. This form of meningitis is contagious and can be spread from person to person through any type of close contact such as coughing and sneezing. Immediate treatment is vital because it can be fatal ten percent of the time. The intense media coverage and the district’s fast action towards spreading the word have kept people other than La Crescenta students and residents on high alert. “I have a lot of friends that go to C.V.,” said senior Sona Karakashian. “I’m so freaked out and worried all at the same time.” Assistant Principal Joan Shoff said that meningitis was only located on the C.V. campus and that it is not an infection that will travel. “Everything was well taken care of and extremely well organized,” she said. According to C.V.’s health clerk, Jannie Antista, Iskandari will be returning to school today and Insalaco is out of her medically induced coma and is said to be doing much better.