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UF Grad Student Hospitalized with Meningitis

An unidentified University of Florida graduate student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is currently hospitalized with a case of meningococcal disease, a severe infection that can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.

In an email sent by the UF Student Health Care Center to all students on Friday, SHCC Interim Director Dr. Guy Nicolette wrote, "The Florida Department of Health and the UF Student Health Care Center are closely monitoring the situation and are taking all precautions to prevent the spread of the disease."

Information on the student's identity and current condition has not been released to protect the privacy of the patient.

"People who are considered to be at risk of being exposed to the infection were followed up with, per our investigation," said  Nadia Kovacevich, an epidemiologist at the Alachua County Health Department.

High-risk contacts, or those with a high likelihood of coming into contact with the student's oral secretions, have been recommended to receive antibiotic treatment, Kovacevich said.

Although this is a serious illness, Dr. Nicolette wrote in an email that the situation is being controlled carefully.

"This case appears not to have generated any further spread of illness, and it is doubtful given the timing that any new exposures would occur," he wrote.

No other cases of the disease have been confirmed, and the county's health department has concluded its investigation, Kovacevich said. The county had one reported case of the disease last year.

The bacterial infection can be transmitted through bodily fluids, often saliva. Symptoms can include a sudden fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion and an increased sensitivity to light, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A lot of people unknowingly carry the bacteria in their nasal passages, but don't become ill from it, Kovacevich said. These people are called asymptomatic carriers, meaning they carry the disease but become immune to that particular bacteria.

But these carriers can easily transmit the germ to others whose bodies may react differently, she said. Students should remain cautious when sharing things such as utensils.

"With this type of infection, because so many people unknowingly carry it, it's important when someone is not feeling well to exclude themselves from events. If you know someone who hasn’t been feeling well, reschedule or re-plan to do something with them," Kovacevich said. "And wash your hands."

 

Carla is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.