University officials are working to identify those who have been in contact with the student in order to treat them with antibiotics.
Many people are unaware about what meningitis is and how it is contracted.
The following facts were compiled from information supplied by the National Center for Infectious Diseases, part of the U.S. Public Health Service Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis. Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ.