County health officials said test results to determine whether meningococcal disease killed a Ceres boy last week came back inconclusive. However, Stanislaus County officials said Tuesday that meningococcal disease will be listed as the cause of death for 1-year-old Erik Wells.

"Even though the cultures were inconclusive, that doesn't change the clinical diagnosis," said Dr. Alvaro Garza, the county's public health officer. "We always want the lab's confirmation, but in this case it's based on the clinical diagnosis."

The toddler died Jan. 5 after quickly falling ill the night before. Based on a treating physician's diagnosis and statements the boy's parents made to emergency room workers, health officials suspected the boy had meningococcal disease -- a fast-developing type of bacterial meningitis.

Garza said a number of factors could have "affected the recoverability of the bacteria."

No new meningococcal cases have been reported in the past week, public health officials said Tuesday.

Family members who had close contact with the child were given antibiotics. Everyone, including Erik's 2-month-old sister, is fine, a family member said.

The full autopsy report can take from one to six weeks to complete, a coroner's spokesman said.

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.