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Meningitis Update 11/29/17

Dear Students, Faculty & Staff,

We are writing to update you on the two students diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Both students have been released from the hospital and are doing well. No additional cases of meningitis have been reported. The exact strain of Neisseria has not yet been identified; we will share that information as soon as it becomes available.

Bucknell Student Health continues to provide vaccines to students upon request and as additional dosages become available. Please contact Bucknell Student Health at 570-577-1401 to schedule an appointment.

As a reminder, there are precautions you can take to help protect yourself against viral and bacterial meningitis:

  • You cannot get meningitis without direct contact with an infected person, so avoid such contact with someone who is sick
  • Avoid sharing drinks, toothbrushes, utensils, bottles, cigarettes or anything else that goes in your mouth with other people
  • Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water
  • Always cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
  • Avoid smoking and excess alcohol
  • Eat healthy foods and get plenty of rest

Meningitis cannot live outside of the body, so sharing a classroom, dining hall or other social space with someone who is infected does not, in and of itself, place you at risk.

Early symptoms of meningitis are similar to other common illnesses. Given the seriousness of meningitis, you should seek medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever, headaches, body aches and/or fatigue
  • Stiff neck
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Sensitivity to light

If you have general questions regarding meningitis, you can visit cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html. If you have specific, health-related questions about meningitis at Bucknell, you can contact Bucknell Student Health at 570-577-1401 or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-PA-HEALTH.

Sincerely,

Amy Badal, Dean of Students

Catherine O’Neil, MD, Medical Director, Bucknell Student Health

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