TOLEDO, Ohio — A high school teacher died from a form of bacterial meningitis Thursday, but health officials said there was virtually no risk of transmitting the disease.

        Doctors said the form of meningitis that caused the teacher's death is not related to the strain that killed two students in Alliance in eastern Ohio.

        “People do not have to be worried,” said Dr. Kathy Carlson, vice president of patient care at Flower Hospital in Sylvania. “There's virtually no risk of transmitting this form from person to person.”

        James Forche, 35, of Toledo, died at the hospital after he was admitted Wednesday.

        He died of Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria — a more common form of meningitis. The Alliance students died from Meningococcal meningitis, which is caused by a different kind of bacteria.

        The Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria is not spread through casual contact or being in the same room as someone who has been infected, doctors said.

        If an infected person kissed you or sneezed directly in your face, you might get Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria, but it's still difficult to transmit, said David Grossman, health commissioner for the Toledo-Lucas County health department.

        Ohio has about 130 to 150 cases of meningitis each year. Six people died last year, said Randy Hertzer, a spokesman with the Ohio Department of Health.

        “We have these types of cases all year long, but you just don't hear about them,” he said.

        Mr. Forche, a father of five, taught English at Woodward High School. He went to the hospital hours after teaching at the school.

        Eugene Sanders, superintendent of Toledo Public Schools, said his office fielded a handful of calls from parents about the death, which occurred on the last day of classes.

        “Given some of the national attention that meningitis has received, there were concerns,” he said.

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