NAU student hospitalized with ‘suspected’ meningitis
Officials at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff announced yesterday that a student living on-campus has been admitted to a local hospital with suspected bacterial meningitis, according to a university news release.
The yet unnamed student is 20-years-old and lived on-campus at Hilltop Townhomes. The student is currently hospitalized at Flagstaff Medical Center.
Executive director of NAU’s Campus Health Services, Beth Applebee said, “We have identified individuals who may have had close contact with the student, and they are receiving treatment with antibiotics as a precautionary measure.”
“Close contact” refers to individuals who have prolonged contact of more than eight hours and are in close proximity, or who have been directly exposed to the individual’s oral secretions between one week before the onset of symptoms until 24 hours after initiation of antibiotic therapy.
What is meningitis, how do you get infected and how can you prevent it?
The microorganisms that cause bacterial meningitis can be contagious. Some bacteria can spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (e.g., kissing). Fortunately, most of the bacteria that cause meningitis are not as contagious as diseases like the common cold or the flu. In addition, the bacteria are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.
Meningitis infection may show up in a person by a sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. It will often have other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia) and altered mental status (confusion).
The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear quickly or over several days. Typically they develop within 3-7 days after exposure.
Later symptoms of bacterial meningitis can be very severe (e.g., seizures, coma). For this reason, anyone who thinks they may have meningitis should see a doctor as soon as possible.
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