U Of I Student Isolated After Bacterial Meningitis Diagnosis

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

URBANA – The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign reported Friday that a student is being treated for bacterial meningitis, but there is a low risk of the illness spreading in the general population.

That’s because the student lived in off-campus housing and has been isolated in a hospital during treatment. 

In a notice to the community, the U of I said the diagnosis was confirmed by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. Health officials have contacted and treated anyone who had close contact with the student.

No other information was given, including the timeline of the illness or current condition of the patient.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

Bacterial meningitis can spread quickly by sharing saliva or spit during coughing, kissing or living with someone else. 

Symptoms such as fever, headache and stiff neck develop 3 to 7 days after exposure.

Vaccines can help prevent some types of bacterial meningitis. A patient can be treated with antibiotics. But a person who is not treated could suffer brain damage or even death.

Reginald Hardwick

Reginald Hardwick is the News & Public Affairs Director at Illinois Public Media. He oversees daily newscasts and online stories. He also manages The 21st Show, a live, weekday talk show that airs on 7 NPR stations throughout Illinois. He is the executive producer of IPM's annual environmental TV special "State of Change." And he is the co-creator of Illinois Soul, IPM's Black-focused audio service that launched in February 2024. Before arriving at IPM in 2019, he served as News Director at WKAR in East Lansing and spent 17 years as a TV news producer and manager at KXAS, the NBC-owned station in Dallas/Fort Worth. Reginald is the recipient of three Edward R. Murrow regional awards, seven regional Emmy awards, and multiple honors from the National Association of Black Journalists. Born in Vietnam, Reginald grew up in Colorado and is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado. Email: rh14@illinois.edu Twitter: @RNewsWILL