July 15, 2016 - 12:45 p.m.

The Alabama Department of Public Health, Immunization Division (IMM), in collaboration with Department of Public Safety, is investigating a report of a suspected case of meningococcal disease. IMM staff will be contacting persons who were exposed most recently to the student before their symptom onset to monitor exposed people for symptoms, and recommend preventive antibiotics and vaccine if needed. The ill student was vaccinated with 2 doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine and is improving.

As a reminder, meningococcal bacteria is spread from close person-to-person contact through the exchange of nose and throat secretions, by activities such as kissing or sharing eating or drinking utensils. The bacteria is not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

Vaccines are now available to protect against meningococcal disease serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y.  Recommended vaccines against meningococcal disease include:

• Meningococcal conjugate ACWY vaccine, Menveo, Menhibrix, and Menactra (2 doses)
• Meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero (2 doses) or Trumenba (3 doses)

For more information about meningococcal disease and vaccine, please see http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/mening/default.htm

If you are not vaccinated against meningococcal disease, please contact Auburn Medical Clinic, your healthcare provider, and county health departments.

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July 13, 2016 - 1:20 p.m.

At this time, only one student has been diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis.  The Department of Public Safety and Security is not aware of any other cases or suspected cases.

Many students may have already been vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis and had a booster before coming to college.  If you are unsure of your vaccination status, check with your personal physician.

The diagnosed student is in a hospital out of town being treated. He was not living in a campus residence hall this summer but was taking two Liberal Arts classes. All students who were taking classes with him and the instructors for those classes have been notified directly by email and advised to consult with their physician or the Auburn University Medical Clinic about any additional precautions that they may need to take.

Any questions about the disease, vaccination or potential exposure should be directed to the Auburn University Medical Clinic at 334-844-4416 or to the Medical Clinic Director, Dr. Fred Kam, at kamfred@auburn.edu. 

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July 12, 2016 - 9:35 p.m.

Dear Members of the Auburn University Community,

This evening we were notified that after becoming ill, an undergraduate student on campus was admitted to an out of town hospital near his home.  The student has been diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis.

We want to let you know that we are working closely with the Auburn University Medical Clinic to identify any students that may have had close contact with the student and may need preventive antibiotics. The vast majority of people at school do not need to be concerned or take any special precautions.  If we find that as a student you have a class with or may have had other close contact with this student, you will receive an email letting you know and encouraging you to consider being evaluated by your physician or the Auburn University Medical Clinic.

What is meningitis?
Meningitis is a disease caused by the inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges.  The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.  Meningitis may develop in response to a number of causes, usually bacteria or viruses.  The severity of illness and treatment differ depending on the cause.

One kind of bacteria that can cause meningitis is Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus. Paradoxically, as many as two out of every ten people may carry the Neisseria meningitidis bacterium in the back of their nose and throat at any given time and have no symptoms or illness whatsoever.  While most of these people are healthy and do not have the disease, they may pass the bacteria on to others.

What are the symptoms of meningitis?
Symptoms of meningitis may develop within several hours or over a period of 1 to 2 days. Usual symptoms are high fever, severe headache, and stiff neck. Additional symptoms include nausea, vomiting, discomfort when looking into bright lights, and mental confusion.

Is meningitis contagious?
People with meningococcal meningitis are contagious, however, the infection is not easily spread from person to person. The infection is spread by close or prolonged contact. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). People in the same household or anyone with direct contact with a person’s oral secretions (such as a boyfriend or girlfriend) may be at increased risk of acquiring the infection. Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as things like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

Please know that these bacteria do not live on environmental surfaces or in the air.  The bacteria can live outside the body for only a few minutes.  For example, if the bacteria are coughed onto a desk or object, they will soon die off and persons touching those objects later will not become infected.  No special cleaning is required for surfaces or equipment. There is no risk from being in the classroom or anywhere else on campus where the ill student spent time.

Who should be concerned about being exposed in this situation?
Again, the vast majority of people at school do not need to be concerned or take any special precautions. We are working to identify students and others in the community who had close or prolonged contact with the ill student in the past week or so, and are offering preventive antibiotics to those individuals. 

For all others persons, including those who had casual contact as would occur in most school-related activities, the risk of infection is extraordinarily low and approaches that in the population at large (one case/100,000 population/year). For those with casual contact, preventive antibiotics are not indicated and not advised. 

We will share further information as it becomes available. If you are interested in more information regarding meningococcal disease please see the CDC’s website http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/index.html

The Auburn University Medical Center opens at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Students concerned that they have had close contact should contact the Auburn University Medical Center.

Students with general questions or concerns about this situation should contact the Auburn University Medical Clinic between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. or after hours contact Dr. Fred Kam at kamfred@auburn.edu  or call the Auburn University Department of Public Safety and Security’s on-call number (334)750-9795. 

Additional updates will be available on the Auburn University website (www.auburn.edu).

We are keeping the student and family in our thoughts and prayers.

- Auburn University Department of Public Safety and Security