Emmanuel student contracts meningitis

An Emmanuel College student recently contracted meningitis and the campus is working to prevent a wider outbreak, the Boston school said Thursday.

“In accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health protocols, the College is taking timely actions to ensure that no additional cases of meningitis develop on or beyond our campus,” the school said in a brief statement. “We send our best wishes for a rapid recovery to the affected student.”

The college provided no additional information about the student or when the student became infected.

The bacteria that cause meningitis are usually spread through contact with infected saliva, according to the Boston Public Health Commission.

Meningitis is marked by swelling of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Fever, severe and constant headache, stiff neck or neck pain, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, and rash can all be signs of meningitis,” the state’s website reports. “Changes in behavior such as confusion, sleepiness, and trouble waking up can also be important symptoms.”

For infants, the only discernible symptoms may be crankiness or fatigue or poor feeding.

“Anyone who has or observes these symptoms should contact a health care provider right away,” the website stated. “Some cases of meningitis are very serious, leading to permanent neurologic problems, amputation of limbs, loss of hearing, seizures or strokes, and even death.”

The Catholic college is located in the city’s Fenway neighborhood.