An unidentified UF graduate student was hospitalized at UF Health Shands Hospital on Friday after being diagnosed with meningococcal disease.
In an email sent out Friday evening to the UF community, Guy W. Nicolette, interim director at the Student Health Care Center, wrote that the Florida Department of Health and the SHCC were closely monitoring the situation. Precautions were also being taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
The student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is under the best of care, according to the mass email sent out to students.
Andrew Ragsdale, UF Health Communications marketing coordinator, said he could not confirm nor deny a meningitis hospitalization had occurred.
“In these cases, we must keep any private information about the patient confidential,” he said.
According to the Florida Department of Health, cases of meningitis are rare in the U.S.
College freshmen, according to the department, and those living in dorms are also at risk for meningitis compared to those who are not attending college.
Symptoms of meningitis include a sudden fever, an intense headache, a stiff neck, a rash, nausea or vomiting.
The symptoms can appear two to 10 days after exposure, according to the Florida Department of Health, and usually occur within five days.
To prevent contracting the disease, vaccines are available, and routine hygiene procedures are recommended by the department.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 10/6/2014]
