The University Medical Center at Princeton on Thursday evening admitted an undergraduate with a case of viral meningitis.
"There is no reason for people to be alarmed. Intimate contact via fluid exchange is the only spreading risk and even then, for individuals with normal immune systems, the risk is very low," University Chief Medical Officer Daniel Silverman said.
University officials emailed the individuals with which the student had been in contact and administered a checkup on her roommate. Silverman said that thus far no one else on campus has shown signs of the illness.
University Health Services said the infected student is in good health. Her only symptoms have been a headache and a fever.
As a precaution, Silverman advised any student with a stiff neck, headache or high temperature to go to University Health Services for an exam.
"Our level of concern would have been much greater in the case of bacterial meningitis. Last year the sister of a Princeton student got that and we contacted a far greater number of people," Silverman said.
Bacterial meningitis is extremely severe as 15 percent of cases end in death and either brain damage or learning disabilities are highly probable results. The viral strain however does not pose the same dangers. It is fairly common and usually resolves itself without specific treatment in roughly one week.
Silverman said "about 85 percent of students at Princeton have been immunized for the more serious bacterial strain before coming to the University."
For reasons of privacy the University chose not to release the student's personal information.
"Because viral meningitis is not highly contagious, not even where the person is residing is a big factor in terms of risk," Silverman said.
The student is expected to be released in perfect health within the next several days.
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