On April 29, Tulane University Campus Health sent out a health notice announcing that a case of viral meningitis in a member of the university community had been reported on the Uptown campus.
Caesar Ross III, assistant vice president of campus health and wellness, stated in the notice that the individual is receiving medical treatment.
“We are working closely with local and state public health officials to monitor the situation and ensure the safety of our campus,” Ross said in the notice.
“One of the most important things to know about viral meningitis in particular is that it’s almost never life threatening the way that some bacterial meningitis can be,” Kendra LeSar, assistant professor in the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, said.
LeSar said her first thought was that this notice was serious and something to be aware of, but not something “students need to be overly concerned about.”
“Meningitis, in general, is not particularly common, but it is more common on college campuses, particularly among students living in dormitories or Greek life housing, just because it’s a close proximity of the living environment,” LeSar said. “But even with it being more common in those environments, it’s still very rare.”
While viral meningitis is typically mild and can resolve on its own, bacterial meningitis is more serious and can be life-threatening. Tulane students are required to be vaccinated with the meningococcal ACYW vaccine, used to prevent bacterial meningitis.
Last month, a first-year student at the University of Virginia died from bacterial meningitis a week after being diagnosed with meningococcal disease.
According to the notice, common symptoms include sudden fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, confusion and sensitivity to light.
In response to the case, Tulane has identified and notified close contacts to the affected individual and has increased sanitation measures in areas where the individual has recently been.
Students can schedule online appointments at Campus Health here, accessing the 24/7 virtual urgent care offered through Tulane here or at any local outpatient urgent care center around campus — list found here.