Meningitis Diagnosed in Residence Hall Student
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2001
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Meningitis Diagnosed in Residence Hall Student
Public Health officials contacted Dr. Anne Morrissey, Student Health Services at California State University, Chico, on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 11 to confirm meningococcal disease in a student who had been taken to Enloe Medical Center on Oct. 9.
The freshman student is a resident of Mechoopda Hall, a university residence. Two of his friends took him to the hospital on Tuesday when he showed signs of serious illness. Those two friends and 30 other students who had close contact with him have been identified and are receiving treatment at the Student Health Center.
“I met with the student’s parents on Thursday, and they said that their son is showing signs of great improvement,” said John Lauer, associate director of University Housing and Residential Life.
Dr. Linda Pneuman, chief of clinical medicine at Student Health Services, said that nisseria meningitides, the bacterium causing the student’s infection, is treatable with antibiotics. The particular strain has not yet been identified. All three strains of meningitides are infectious and can be passed from the infected person to others through saliva, but contact usually must be direct and close, such as sharing cups and food.
Bacterial meningitis is rare, although studies have shown that there is a slightly higher incidence among college students living in residence halls as compared to the general public. That means that college students in apartments are no more at risk of contracting the disease than non-college students of the same age.
Strains of organisms that cause meningitis are commonly found in the nasal passages and throats of most individuals. The bacteria are usually not virulent in small numbers, said Pneuman, and exposed people do not necessarily contract the disease. In the rare cases that someone falls ill with the disease, it often is the result of lowered immunity because of another disease or excessive stress on the bodyÑnot getting enough sleep, over working or not eating regularly and well.
Symptoms of meningitis include a high fever, an intense headache and a rash. The person feels extremely ill. Students who are concerned can contact Student Health Services and receive prescriptions for preventive antibiotics, even if their contact with the infected person was casual. A vaccine, effective against two of the three strains of bacteria, is available. Some universities have made it a requirement for first-year college students, although the California State University system has not, as the vaccine is not effective against the most common strain.
Lauer and Eddie Bankston, director of Residential Housing, have provided briefings to their staff to equip them to answer questions and allay students’ fears. Custodial staff has taken measures to ensure student safety, such as disinfecting the student’s bathroom and other surfaces that could have been contaminated.
Although meningitis is a serious bacterial disease, in approximately 90 percent of cases infected persons recover completely and experience no severe after-effects. Any concerned student or parent can call Student Health Services at 530-898-5241 for more information about the nature of the infection or preventative treatment.
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