A student has been hospitalized after being diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. The student is currently at Mary Greeley Medical Center and reported as being in stable condition, according to ISU News Service.

“[Meningitis is] caused by the inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord,” said Penni McKinley, program coordinator at the Thielen Student Health Center.

The severity of meningitis can vary. This was made evident last spring, when student Travis “TJ” Good, senior in civil engineering, died suddenly from bacterial meningitis.

“There are two types of meningitis: bacterial and viral,” McKinley said. “Bacterial meningitis is more serious, and students should pay close attention if they have any symptoms of bacterial meningitis.”

Symptoms include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and sensitivity to light, McKinley said.

“A lot of its symptoms are similar to those of the common cold or the flu,” McKinley said. “Students should monitor how they are feeling. If the aliments become severe rapidly, it may be meningitis.”

Students should seek medical advice if any of these conditions appear.

Bacterial meningitis can be treated with antibiotics that can prevent severe illness and reduce the spread of infection from person to person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is also a meningitis vaccine to be used as prevention, not medicine. The CDC recommends college students get the meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine or meningococcal conjugate vaccine.

Iowa State does not require the meningitis vaccine prior to enrollment, but Lois Smith, staff nurse at Thielen Student Health Center, encourages getting the shot as a preventative measure.

“The Thielen website has a special section on the front page where students can go and get more information about meningitis, including a ‘frequently asked questions’ section,” Smith said.