Viral meningitis can be contracted by contact with an infected person - a friend of mine got it on a trip to the US about 4 years ago, she's not been well since.

Because it was thought to have been eradicated in some countries, the innoculation programme was halted, thus leaving subsequent generations of people unprotected and open to infection from visits to, or infected people from, countries that never innoculated

It mostly affects those in close communities, usually of late teens/early 20s - like colleges, where it spreads quickly through coughs, sneezes and close contact. It will also affect those whose immune systems are not so strong - like a 78yr old person.

I'm not a fan of his work, but his family have my sympathies.

LTS