Letter from President Rafes regarding meningitis...

Dear Campus Community:

I am writing to inform you that there is a confirmed case of bacterial
meningitis on our campus. Fortunately the freshman resident of Briles
Hall although hospitalized is recovering.

We have been working with the Oklahoma State Department of Health and
Pontotoc County Health Department to identify all persons at risk, have
identified those persons and are providing post-exposure oral
antibiotics to those persons. We have been advised by Pontotoc County
Health officials and state epidemiologist, Dr. Brett Cauthen, that the
general public is not at risk. Dr. Brett Cauthen states, "Only persons
who have had close, personal contact to a person with a meningococcal
infection have a slightly increased risk of developing the disease.
Such personal contact would be household contact such as sharing eating
or drinking utensils, or being physically intimate with a person with
meningococcal infection."

Meningitis is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. The
symptoms may appear two to ten days after infection, but usually appear
within three to four days. People that are ill with meningitis will
have fever, intense headache, nausea, vomiting, and a stiff neck.

The Pontotoc County Health Department and our ECU staff are actively
investigating to determine any other close contacts in this case and
will be interacting with those individuals to recommend antibiotics as a
preventive measure. Treatment with the antibiotics will eliminate the
bacteria from the nose and throat of persons carrying it which may help
protect contacts from developing a meningococcal infection. Casual
contacts, such as students, faculty and staff sharing common space with
the infected person are not at increased risk of getting the disease and
therefore do not need treatment with the antibiotic.

We are meeting with students in all residence halls to address
questions and concerns. Anyone having questions or concerns may contact
Dr. Diane Berty, Vice President for Student Development at 559-5208 (or
ext. 208 on campus). In addition, a fact sheet on meningococcal disease
can be found here (PDF document opens in new window. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download free.) Those with immediate health concerns should
visit a local emergency room, contact their family physician or Student
Health Services.

Richard Rafes, J.D., Ph.D.

Richard Rafes, J.D., Ph.D.
President
East Central University
Oklahoma's Premier Student-Centered Regional University
1100 East 14
Ada, OK 74820
office--580-559-5213
fax-- 580-332-1623
rrafes@ecok.edu