A female UW-Madison freshman is in stable condition, according to UW-Madison officials, after going to an area hospital Wednesday morning with suspected meningococcal disease. The disease is caused by an organism which can lead to meningitis, an infection of the fluid and lining of the brain and spinal cord.
The name of the student, who lives in Sellery Hall, is being withheld to protect her privacy.
According to UW-Madison freshman Natalie Salb, who is friends with and lives on the same floor as the student, two other residents were taking care of the young woman Tuesday night when she was ill and vomiting.
UW-Madison freshman Amy Konkol, one of those students, said the hospitalized freshman had a fever of 101.5 degrees Tuesday night.
\I called my mom to ask her what to do, but [the afflicted student] didn't really have any of the meningitis symptoms,"" Konkol said.
In addition to a fever, the student was experiencing aches and a sore throat, but no stiff neck, a common symptom of meningitis, Konkol said. Other typical symptoms include mental changes and rashes.
The student's brother took her to the hospital Wednesday morning, Salb said, where she is now confined to a room and cannot see visitors for the next two to three days.
""We all wish we could see her and since we can't, we just hope she gets better soon,"" Salb said.
Scott Spear, director of clinical services at University Health Services, said in a statement that the university health staff had identified and contacted persons in close contact with the student who may need preventative antibiotics. Only those who have had intimate or direct exposure with a patient with meningococcal disease need the treatment, Spear said.
Konkol said she had taken one of the antibiotic pills and was not worried about becoming sick. An informational sheet concerning the incident and the disease was distributed to all residents on the floor, she added.
Tresa Mueller, another freshman resident of the floor, said she was initially scared after hearing of the student becoming ill.
""It's kind of freaky'you can die,"" Mueller said. ""Our housefellow was really involved for most of the time. She was monitoring the situation.""
Konkol said she agreed that the housefellow was effective in keeping other residents calm after the student was taken to the hospital.
With suspected meningococcal disease, the exact form cannot be confirmed until laboratory tests are completed.
Meningitis can be caused by many different organisms such as bacteria and viruses, and distinguishing between the two is important because the severity of illnesses and treatments differ accordingly.
Viral meningitis is usually less severe and resolves itself without specific treatment, while bacterial meningitis can be far more severe and can result in brain damage, hearing loss or learning disability.
For bacterial meningitis, it is also important to know which type of bacteria is causing the meningitis, because antibiotics can prevent some types from spreading and infecting other people.
