Student diagnosed with form of meningitis

Brian Fry, a first-year resident of Xavier Hall, was diagnosed with meningococcemia, a less severe form of the rare disease, meningitis. Many students took a precautionary pill, Cypro, even though they had no close personal contact with Fry.

by Matt Coughlin

staff writer

Meningitis touched campus last week when Brian Fry, a resident of Xavier Hall, was found to have meningococcemia.

Meningitis, a rare disease, sometimes fatal, has a slightly higher occurrence among college residents.

Fry's condition was discovered on Tuesday, Sept. 19, when he was unable to leave his room and called a friend, who then promptly called the Health Services Center.

"A friend of his called, did not think he could come up [to the Rooyman Center], so I went down to his room and saw him. I recognized the problem and had him taken to the emergency room directly," Sue Fitzgerald said, school nurse.

Fry was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at Bryn Mawr Hospital. He has since been taken out of the ICU and is now in recovery.

"Now I'm feeling a Jot better and lucky," Fry said. "Dr. Checcio diagnosed me with Meningococcemia. If the doctor hadn't known that I had meningitis then and there, then in the next three or four hours I would have died."

Meningococcemia occurs when the bacterial meningitis never progresses to the brain or spinal cord but instead remains in the blood stream. This bacteria is called bacterium Neisseria meningitis. When it progresses to the brain or spinal cord the bacteria causes an inflammation known as meningococcal meningitis, which is life-threatening.

The bacterium is transmitted through air droplets and direct contact that leads to the exchange of fluids. Direct contact includes shared objects like cigarettes or glasses, as well as intimate contact like kissing, according to the American College Health Association.

Last Thursday, Sue Fitzgerald was still juggling phone calls and students seeking medical care.

Students wait in line at the Health Office for the precautionary pifl, Cypro, after teaming of the meningitis scare on campus last Wednesday, Sept. 20.

who felt they needed treatment, some of whom were reacting with caution, though they had no close personal contact with Fry.

The medication is called Cypro, which comes in a 500rnilligram pill. The Cypro was offered to students free, though it was purchased retail at $5 a pill. Fitzgerald feared that she might not have it for the students if she waited for a wholesale delivery.

''Typical college students often ignore the symptoms," Fitzgerald said. "Students that would be considered close contacts should be aware of the symptoms," Fitzgerald added.

or vomiting.

"Oftentimes people will have a sore throat that does not go away, which is easily confused with flu-like symptoms," Fitzgerald said.

A letter was sent home to parents similar to the one sent to student mailboxes, warning of the situation.

"You rarely find out where you got it from," Fitzgerald said.

The school is considering moving up the date that it will offer vaccination to October.

The vaccine is 85-100% effective, and remains effective for 3 to 5 years. The school administered medication to the students Symptoms include a fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea