USD student has meningitis

A 20 year-old University of South Dakota student is being treated at a Sioux City, IA, hospital for meningococcal meningitis (bacterial meningitis). University officials were informed of the student's condition late Tuesday evening, June 12. At the time of the diagnosis, the student was not enrolled in summer courses at USD.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), this disease is a bacterial infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. Meningococcal meningitis is spread by person-to-person contact where saliva is transmitted such as coughing, sneezing, sharing beverages or other forms of intimate contact. University officials and officials from the South Dakota Department of Health are contacting persons at a high probability of risk and providing them with information on treatment.

At this time, University officials emphasize that there has only been one confirmed case of the disease. University officials strongly encourage anyone experiencing symptoms, including high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright light, confusion or sleepiness to seek treatment immediately.

Persons who believe they may have been exposed, please contact the South Dakota Department of Health at 1-800-592-1861. Students concerned of their risk should contact the Student Health Center immediately for an appointment at (605) 624-9111.

More information on meningitis is available on the South Dakota Department of Health Web site (www.state.sd.us/doh/disease) or on the CDC Web site, which is http://www.cdc.gov.

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