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The San Diego County Public Health Officer declared a meningococcal meningitis epidemic at the University of San Diego on Friday after the third student contracted bacterial disease in recent months.
A male undergraduate student showed Tuesday symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and was tested by the California Department of Public Health, according to the county.
"Close contacts of the new case have been identified and antibiotics have been provided to prevent the disease.Antibiotics are not needed for those who are not in direct contact," said the county's communications office.
It was determined that the student had the same bacterium – serogroup B – which hospitalized a student at the beginning of the month and another student during the summer holidays. The latter did not attend classes or lived on campus at that time.
In 2014, a deadly form of meningitis killed a first-year student of SDSU and infected students in several colleges across the country.
Sara Stelzer contracted meningococcal meningitis type B. While she had been vaccinated against meningitis, the vaccine did not cover the rare type B bacteria.
Deadly SDSU meningitis strain killed from others
Bacterial meningitis spreads by sharing items such as cigarettes or drinking glasses, or by intimate contact, such as a kiss.
The authorities do not say that bacteria are not suspended in the air and do not spread like germs associated with colds or flu.
Wilma Wooten, County Public Health Officer, recommends that all students under the age of 24 be vaccinated against meningitis B.
Graduate students of SDSU, open university students, staff, faculty and visitors are not currently recommended for vaccination.
There are currently vaccines to prevent meningitis. MC4 vaccines are recommended for people aged 11 to 18 or for people aged 19 to 21 living in university residences.
Group B meningococcal vaccines are recommended for people over the age of 10 who are considered at high risk, including those with certain medical conditions or exposed during an epidemic.
Health officials have indicated that those who feel they have been exposed to and suddenly suffer from symptoms, including fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and / or vomiting, should go to the hospital.
Learn more about meningococcal vaccines available on the CDC website.
Or you can talk to someone by calling the SDSU Student Health Services from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at 619-594-4325 or by calling the Division of Epidemiology of San Diego County Public Health Services at 619-692-8499.
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