WEST LONG BRANCH — Monmouth University and public health partners are monitoring the case of an employee diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis .
“The university was advised last night that an employee is suffering from meningococcal meningitis,” university President Paul Brown said in a memorandum to the campus community.
“The employee, who is an administrator in the controller’s area, is gravely ill and has been admitted to a hospital.”
Public health officials have advised that all classes and other university activities can proceed as scheduled, Monmouth University Director of Public Affairs Petra Ludwig Shaw said.
“The university is working closely with the public health officials and informing individuals who may be at risk for infection,” Shaw said.
Brown said health officials believe the group at risk on campus is extremely small due to the need for close contact for the infection to be spread.
University personnel have been in touch with the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission, the New Jersey State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which are assisting the university’s response.
“The situation is currently under investigation,” said David Henry, health officer for the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission.
“We are working closely with Monmouth University and our other public health partners in the investigation.”
Henry said the commission was informed on the evening of Nov. 20 that the employee had been diagnosed with the infection, the only reported case on campus as of Thursday, Nov. 21.
According to the N.J. Department of Health website, meningococcal meningitis is a severe infection of the blood or the meninges (the covering of the brain and spinal cord) and is spread through close personal contact.
Such close contact would include living in the same household, kissing, sharing eating utensils or food, sharing drinks or uncovered face-to-face sneezing or coughing.
Health experts believe the risk of infection applies to individuals who have been within 3 feet of the infected individual for eight hours or more at a time, Brown wrote in the memorandum.
According to the N. J. Department of Health, the bacteria are not spread by casual contact such as being in the same office as the infected person, handling papers touched by the infected person or having contact with a person who was in contact with the sick individual.
The university will continue to keep the community updated on the situation, Brown said.
Inquiries from parents are being referred to the Office of Student Services at 732-571-3417. Employees with questions should contact the Office of Human Resources.
For more information on the disease, visit: www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/symptoms.html or http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/faq/meningococcal_faq.pdf