Student Being Treated for Possible Meningitis

On Saturday night (Jan. 28), a junior who lives on campus became seriously ill and was hospitalized with symptoms that point to a possible case of bacterial meningitis. The results of a test for bacterial meningitis may not be known until Tuesday. Nevertheless, the hospitalized student is being treated with and responding well to antibiotics.

Everyone considered to have been in close contact with the patient has been evaluated and treated with antibiotics as a precautionary measure, according to Mary Norris, Health Services program director.

Although medical professionals consider the risk of potential exposure to be low, you should be aware of the signs and symptoms of this disease, which are the quick onset of a high fever (102 º and above) followed closely by a severe headache. If you experience any of these symptoms, please seek medical attention right away.

Following are some guidelines from Norris on how the disease is transmitted.

At-risk persons include:

• Anyone who has had close household contact with the patient or was frequently at or in the same dwelling as the patient.



• Anyone who may have had mouth-to-mouth contact with the patient or may have otherwise come into contact with oral secretions through such means as sharing eating utensils, drinking glasses or bottles, or toothbrushes.

You do NOT need preventive antibiotic treatment if:

• You have had casual contact with the patient (i.e. attended class or a meeting with the patient, may have been in or around the patient’s room, etc.)



• You have had indirect contact (in other words, contact with someone who may have been exposed to the patient)

Again, please note that everyone considered to have been in close contact with the patient has been evaluated and treated with antibiotics.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Health Services at 860.768.6601 or by email at norris@hartford.edu. If you are unable to reach Health Services, you may wish to contact your family physician.

The University is working closely with the city of Hartford Public Health department to ensure the health and well-being of our University community. Those interested in learning more about bacterial meningitis may go to the Centers for Disease Control website for additional information.