SAN ANTONIO -- Point guard Johnny Moore is out for the year because of a rare form of meningitis, doctors said Wednesday. The San Antonio Spurs are just glad he has a chance to return to the team at all.
The popular starter, out of the lineup since Dec. 26, has coccidioidomyscosis -- 'Desert Fever -- which is fatal if left untreated, team physician Dr. Richard Thorner said.
'Our first concern is the seriousness of it -- Johnny's welfare,' said Spurs assistant coach Gary Fitzsimmons. 'What Johnny Moore is fighting is not just a game.'
Teammate Alvin Robertson said, 'Our concern for Johnny is not his ever playing again, it's for him to get his health together.'
Physicians at a San Antonio hospital Wednesday inserted a reservoir underneath Moore's scalp in which an antibiotic, Amphotericin B, will be injected. A tube was inserted through his skull to transfer the medicine to the infected brain membrane.
Moore's treatment will take weeks and therapy might take a year or more.
'If he progresses as anticipated, it is expected he will resume competitive basketball in time for the 1986-1987 National Basketball Association season,' a statement by team officials and physicians said.
Desert fever is a fungus indigenous to the southwestern United States. It is estimated that up to 10 percent of the population in the Southwest is exposed to this particular fungus, and that of that number, one in 1,000 contracts meningitis. The fungus can be inhaled.
'We knew there was a chance it was fungal-based but it wasn't confirmed at first,' said Spurs trainer John Anderson. 'Now we know he's in for a long, extended treatment. We know it a long, complicated, difficult treatment.
'I was dissapointed for Johnny because I knew he wouldn't be back as soon as he wanted. Johnny always kept a real positive attitude.'
'The affect is our deep concern for Johnny,' Fitzsimmons said. 'Most of our guys have been around. They've gone through something like this before -- having a player not be there for a while. It's a factor, yes. But Wes (Matthews) and Jon (Sundvold) have got to take up the slack.'
Spurs general manager Bob Bass said the team would not add another player to replace Moore for the season, since the team already is too close to the league's salary cap.
