The University of Idaho Argonaut

Fraternity member
hospitalized Wednesday

The University of Idaho campus is preparing itself against a meningitis outbreak after a student was hospitalized Wednesday with an unconfirmed case of bacterial meningitis.
The student, a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, reportedly was acting ill and confused Wednesday and was taken to Gritman Medical Center. Preliminary tests showed the student may be suffering from bacterial meningitis, a rare form of the illness, and he was airlifted to Boise. As of Thursday evening, test results were not yet back but North Central District Health said results should be known today.

Meningitis is caused by a bacteria that makes its way into the blood stream or spinal fluid, said Donna Anderson, staff epidemiologist at NCDH. Symptoms of the illness can be mistaken for the flu and include the acute onset of fever, stiffness, join pain, nausea and vomiting, as well as confusion and dizziness.
The illness is spread through close contact with the patient and is most easily transmitted through body fluids such as saliva.

After discovering the case on campus, the Dean of Students Office and NCDH have been locating students who may have been in close contact with the student. The students were given information about the illness and encouraged to visit the Student Health Clinic.

“Even though the likelihood is low, there is a possibility of transmission person-to-person through saliva,” Anderson said. “So we’ve been trying to identify those student who have close contact.”
 The Student Health Center was opened for extended hours Thursday to accommodate the students who sought the vaccination, said Tania Thompson, director of Media Relations.

If left untreated, the illness can become very dangerous, Anderson said.
The common incubation period for the disease is three to four days, she said. However students who have been exposed to the disease can be infected as soon as two days after to as long as 10 days. NCDH and UI are trying to locate people who came in close contact with the patient in the last 14 days, between March 26 and Wednesday, Anderson said.

“We want to find the closest contacts as fast as we can,” she said.
Close exposure means exchanging saliva with the patient, such as sharing a meal, beverage or cigarette or kissing him. Students living in the same fraternity or who have slept in the same room or household as the patients are also at risk.

“Sitting in a classroom does not equal close exposure,” Anderson said, so most students should not be concerned.
Anderson said the case is a timely reminder to students to protect their respiratory health by covering their coughs and washing their hands often.
Anyone who has concerns about their exposure should contact Student Health at 885-6693.