ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – Health officials say a student at Washington University has Bacterial Meningitis. Its a swelling of the lining of the brain caused by infection.
Just how concerned should other students be?
If there is one person who is coughing repeatedly chances are all the people breathing the same air over and over again will get exposed, according to the Director of Communicable Disease Services for the Saint Louis County Health Department.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and confusion. Treatment is with antibiotics. Left untreated, it can lead to brain damage. Each year there are just over 4,000 cases nationwide, with 500 deaths.
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