Washington University student suspected to have meningitis

ST. LOUIS — A student at Washington University in St. Louis is ill with what health officials believe is a highly contagious and potentially deadly form of bacterial meningitis.

The name and condition of the male student has not been released, and the university declined to give his age or say where his is from. The diagnosis has not yet been confirmed.

The student lives on campus in the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house. University spokeswoman Joni Westerhouse said Saturday that 88 students who might have had contact with him have been given preventative antibiotics. That includes all 24 of the other residents of the fraternity house. No one else has shown signs of the illness.

"The university is very impressed with how quickly the Alpha Epsilon Pi members responded," Westerhouse said.

Health officials believe the student has meningococcal meningitis, which is transmitted through respiratory or throat secretions such as through kissing, sneezing and coughing on someone, or sharing food or drink.

Meningitis is a swelling of the membranes around the spinal cord and brain and can be fatal. Symptoms can include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting.

Students who had casual contact with the student, such as attending class, are not considered to be at risk, Westerhouse said. The university has notified the parents of all students who live in the fraternity house, and e-mail notification went to everyone on the Danforth Campus at Washington University.

About 300 people in the U.S. die annually from bacterial meningitis.

Earlier this year, two soldiers at Ft. Leonard Wood in southern Missouri died of another form of bacterial meningitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the Army base to investigate those cases.