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A Penn State student has been treated for meningococcal meningitis and is recovering at the Mount Nittany Medical Center, according to a statement released Monday by the university.
University Health Services is working with the state's Department of Health to monitor the case, Penn State said. The close contacts of the student, who lives on campus, have been notified and have received the appropriate prophylactic antibiotic.
Meningococcal meningitis is a form of bacterial meningitis treated with antibiotics, according to the university.
"When a meningococcal meningitis occurs, the bacteria infect the protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord and cause swelling," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The university said that most people are recovering from meningitis, but serious complications, including death, can occur within hours if the infection is not treated .
Penn State urges students with symptoms to seek immediate medical attention. According to the university, the symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, headache and stiff neck. Other symptoms are nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and confusion, or altered mental status.
College students are "particularly" at risk for bacterial meningitis because of their proximity to an infected person, such as kissing, sharing food or drink, or breathing bacteria spread by sneezing or coughing. University.
Because of this risk, Penn State, in accordance with state law, requires that all students living in university housing provide evidence of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4). UHS also recommends that students receive the meningococcal vaccine for serogroup B (MenB).
"However, as with any vaccine, vaccines that protect against these bacteria are not 100% effective because they do not protect against all strains of each bacterium," Penn State said.
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