Kansas University health officials say that a 22-year-old senior in journalism who lives in KU’s Pearson Scholarship Hall has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and is being treated tonight at the University of Kansas Hospital.

Health officials with Watkins Memorial Health Center at KU and the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department have not identified the student, who they say works at the University Daily Kansan, the student newspaper.

CDC information on bacterial meningitis

Health officials are currently in the process of identifying those who have been in direct contact with the student, according to Dr. Myra Strother, Watkins’ chief of staff.

They are offering preventive medication at Watkins, which is KU’s student health center.

Strother said that federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend that only those who have been in direct contact with the student require the treatment.

She defined close personal contact as being when “saliva is exchanged as when individuals share toothbrushes or drink from the same glass.”

However, casual contact, such as sitting in the same classroom or working with an infected person is not considered to be in close contact and does not need to be treated, she said.

Bacterial or meningococcal meningitis is a severe infection of the the bloodstream, the lining of the brain and the spinal cord. Clusters of cases are possible, but it usually occurs as a single isolated event.

Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck and a rash. The symptoms appear usually within five days. If no symptoms occur after 10 days, the person who has been in close contact is not considered to be at risk.

Students with questions about meningitis can call the Watkins health education line at 785-864-9570 or the local health department, 785-843-0721 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Students who live in Pearson Scholarship Hall or those who have worked closely with staff reporters at the University Daily Kansan in the past 10 days are encouraged to call the Watkins health line for more information.

For more information, see the 6News report at 10 p.m. and pick up a copy of Thursday’s Journal-World.