Student meningitis case reported

SOUTH BEND -- A University of Notre Dame student has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.\nThe student, whose name was not released, was being treated Thursday at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. The student became ill Sunday night after being out of town for several days, university spokesman Matthew Storin said.\nThe student has been taken out of intensive care and was in stable condition, Storin said.\nThere were no reports of other cases on campus as of Thursday. Students attending Notre Dame are urged when they enroll to be vaccinated, Storin said.\nThe case is the sixth reported in northern Indiana in two weeks. The other five cases were reported among elementary and high school students in the Fort Wayne area.\nThe state Health Department said seven cases of bacterial meningitis have been reported in Indiana this year, which is about the same number of cases that had been reported this time last year.\nDr. Jim Howell, a state epidemiologist, said there was no reason for concern.\n"It just happens to be in one part of the state," Howell said. "There is always an issue about whether we are having an outbreak or not because there is a few cases. Well, 95 percent of all cases are sporadic. They just occur and we can find no link."\nBacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the fluid and membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is spread through coughing, kissing and other close contact. The symptoms are flulike and can include high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and a stiff neck.\nThe disease kills in about 10 percent of cases and can cause serious harm, including brain damage.\nTwo years ago, Holy Cross College student Jenny Nemeth died of bacterial meningitis.