Meningitis Scare Spreads To CU Boulder

By Lindsay Watts

BOULDER-The threat of meningitis continues to spread after a Metropolitan State College student died last week.We’ve now learned the student went to a party near CU Boulder and may have put students there at risk.

A health alertfromCU Boulder says the party happened on Friday, April 2 in the 700 block of 36th St. It says people there were playing beer pong, a game where competitors are constantly sharing drinks. Doctors say that’s just one way meningitis can spread quickly among college students.

“The dorms in colleges are sort of the classic example of the groups we worry about,” says Dr. Kevin Cuccinelli, with Premier Urgent Care in Monument.

Studies show college students are up to six times more likely to get bacterial meningitis.The disease spreads like the common cold.

“Kissing, sharing cigarettes drinks, forks, spoons,” says Dr. Cuccinelli.

Symptoms of bacterial meningitis are also similar to a cold: fever, headache, drowsiness, nausea and a stiff neck. The big difference is that meningitis can be deadly if it’s not treated quickly.

“Some people with it think, ‘oh I’ve only got a fever, nausea, vomiting, I’ve just got a regular cold,’ then tend to ignore it,” says Dr. Cuccinelli.

Symptoms can appear up to ten days from the time of infection.

You can get vaccinated for meningitis, and it’s something especially recommended for students before they enter college.Doctors estimate up to 40 people die in Colorado from the disease every year.

CU Boulder says people at the party with the student who died have been notified. The student’s name still hasn’t been released, but that could happen as early as tomorrow.