Health Officials Investigating Possible Fourth Meningitis Case at ULL
Posted on: Tuesday, 14 February 2006, 18:00 CST
By RICHARD BURGESS
Health officials investigating possible fourth meningitis case at ULL
LAFAYETTE Public health officials on Monday were investigating a possible fourth case of meningitis in Lafayette, where three cases were discovered last week connected to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette one fatal.
We do have another case that we consider probable, said Dr. Tina Stefanski, Acadiana regional medical director for the state Office of Public Health.
The three previous cases involved current or former ULL students.
Stefanski said the fourth possible bacterial meningitis victim, who is receiving medical treatment, has no known affiliation with the university, but public health officials are still investigating his social connections.
Verification on the fourth possible case is expected soon.
We are still waiting on some more (lab test) results, Stefanski said.
She offered no identifying information about the possible new victim, such as age or area of residence.
The three confirmed meningitis cases and one probable case come about two weeks after another ULL student died of a blood infection lined to the same bacteria that causes meningitis, Stefanski said.
It is concerning, she said of the current number of meningitis cases. It is not a reason to panic.
The university has begun vaccinating groups of students considered at-risk because of possible contact with the meningitis victims.
Stefanski said she expects hundreds of vaccinations will be administered to groups that include residents of the Voorhies building at ULLs Legacy Park, where one student with meningitis lives, and members of fraternities and sororities.
University and public health officials have declined to identify the meningitis victims.
But a Theta Xi fraternity member who attended ULL last semester, 19-year-old Cameron Matthew Andrus, was identified by his family as the victim of a fatal case of meningitis.
A student who identified himself as a surviving meningitis victim said in media reports that he was friends with Andrus and had been with Andrus the night before his death.
Meningitis is a rare and sometimes fatal disease usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
The strain of bacterial meningitis in all three confirmed cases here has been identified as a type spread only through close contact, such as kissing or sharing food, drinks or cigarettes, according to public health officials.
The common early symptoms for meningitis are fever and headache with neck stiffness.
Besides the targeted groups at ULL, vaccinations are available through public health clinics and from regular healthcare providers.
For information from the regional public health clinic, call (337) 262-5311.
For information on meningitis from ULL, visit http:// www.safety.louisiana.edu.
Source: Advocate; Baton Rouge, La.
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