Updated: Strain identified for case of U. student with bacterial meningitis

The University student who was diagnosed with meningitis and hospitalized on Monday is listed as in stable condition and is recovering, a representative of the New Jersey Department of Health said. The student remained hospitalized as of Thursday afternoon.

No new cases of meningitis have been reported on campus, according to an email sent out to the undergraduate student body by Vice President for Campus Life Cynthia Cherrey shortly after 5 p.m. on Friday. As of Tuesday, 19 individuals — including 18 University students — had been notified because they had been in close contact with the ill student.

This is the third case of bacterial meningitis linked to the University in fewer than two months. Two other cases of bacterial meningitis linked to the University were reported on March 25 and April 12, involving a female student and a male individual who had been visiting campus, respectively.

The email added that the bacteria responsible for this latest case was the same as in the earlier two cases. The three cases are not believed to be linked.

The specific strain has been determined to be, in all three cases, Neisseria meningitidis, serogroup B. This bacteria is one of the most common causes of bacterial meningitis in adolescents and young adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is no vaccine for the specific type of bacteria, but cases of meningitis can be treated with common antibiotics.

University students who live in on-campus housing are required to be vaccinated against meningitis in accordance with state law. The required vaccine covers meningitis caused by four types of the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria: A, C, Y and W-135.

There is also an exemption in the law that can be cited that allows individuals not to be vaccinated for religious reasons.

Four students have cited this exemption and have not been vaccinated against meningitis, according to University spokesperson Martin Mbugua.

On Thursday, Daniel Emmer, communications manager for the New Jersey Department of Health, said they had completed their investigation into the first two cases.

Emmer noted that the Department of Health only fully investigated the case of the female student because the case was reported within the state. In the case of the male campus visitor, the investigation was conducted by the individual’s home state. The New Jersey department of health’s involvement was limited to contacting individuals who had been in close contact with the patient.

The male visitor’s home state has not been disclosed.

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Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain that can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Bacterial infections are in general more serious and can result in brain damage or death, although most people do recover following treatment with antibiotics. Symptoms include fever, nausea and vomiting, mental status changes, sensitivity to light, a headache and a stiff neck.

According to New Jersey law, any supervisor of a healthcare institution must immediately inform the state’s Department of Health by telephone of any suspected or confirmed cases of meningitis.

“It is important that this call be made as soon as possible because a diagnosis of ‘meningitis’ can often cause anxiety or overreaction in the school, workplace, or community setting,” a state document about meningitis reads.

The telephone report must be followed by an electronic report within 24 hours. The reports are then followed by an investigation that seeks to verify the diagnosis, identify any individuals who have been in close contact with the patient and provide the close contacts with preventative treatment.

The University issued a public health advisory on its homepage on Tuesday afternoon and also sent an email to all undergraduate students announcing the latest case of bacterial meningitis.

As of Wednesday, the health advisory had been removed from the University’s homepage, although it is still accessible through its news archive. The University sent a second email with updates on the situation on Thursday evening.