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A second student from Rutgers University was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and had to be hospitalized over the weekend, officials said.
The last case was reported on Saturday while the other student was sent to the hospital on February 4, according to an alert sent to the university community. This student has since been released.
The student admitted to the hospital over the weekend is currently being tested to determine the type of meningococcal bacteria causing the infection. The first student has meningococcal serogroup B, which can not be treated with the vaccine used to stop the other four serogroups of meningitis – A, C, W and Y.
Two licensed vaccines protect against meningococcal serogroup B, the alert said. Either can be given to anyone between the ages of 16 and 23 to provide short-term protection against most meningococcal strains of serogroup B.
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Health officials have not recommended that Rutgers cancel activities or classes on campus. The university monitors the situation with local health officials, counties and regions.
The bacterium is transmitted through the exchange of secretions from the airways and throat, such as saliva, the US Center for Disease Control announced on its website. It is not usually transmitted by casual contact.
It is possible to treat with antibiotics, but health experts note that it is important to catch it quickly. Early symptoms may include high fever, headache, stiff neck, and rash.
In the worst case, meningococcal disease can cause infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, as well as blood infections and death.
This was not the first time that a student was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis on campus. In 2016, two students caught the disease and vaccines were recommended for everyone on campus.
A Rutgers spokesperson could not immediately provide the age and gender of the students, or say whether they were undergraduate or postgraduate students.
Jeff Goldman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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