Students living in dorms have a 3 percent to 6 percent higher chance of contracting meningitis than those living off campus, according to a study recently published in Family Practice News.

Living in dorms, fraternities and sororities makes the spread of the virus much easier, said Malhar Gore, staff physician at the Student Health Center.

“It’s just like with your family; if one person gets a cold, pretty soon everyone is sniffling,” she said.

Gore described meningitis as an infection of the brain’s covering. Although it isn’t an extremely common disease, she said, its effects can be dangerous if not fatal.

“We haven’t had any epidemics in the last five years or so, but every year we usually have one or two cases,” Gore said.

Meningitis symptoms are similar to those of the common cold, which makes it difficult to detect, she said. In fact, most cases usually begin as a cold and then bacteria infects the brain’s covering.

In the early stages, symptoms include a runny nose and sore throat.

Like any cold, those infected usually get severe headaches and an achy or stiff neck and back, Gore said. Others experience nausea and confusion, and some also develop a rash. If left untreated, meningitis can be fatal, she said.

“It is very important to get accurate and timely information out to the patient and those they come in close contact with,” said Cathy Haley, registered nurse at the Nevada Medical Clinic.

There is a cure for meningitis if it’s caught early enough, she said. Treatment usually involves a two-week stay in the hospital, where patients are given antibiotics intravenously.

“Patients usually start feeling better within a couple of days, but the full treatment is necessary to completely eradicate the virus,” Gore said.

Those who have been in close contact with an infected person also need to take a dose of the antibiotics as a preventive measure, she said.

Meningitis is contracted in many of the same ways as a cold.

“The typical way of contraction is being in a closed environment with someone who is infected,” Gore said. “The virus can be carried in the aerosolized droplets produced when people sneeze or cough.”

Gore recommends not sharing utensils and using proper hygiene to minimize the spread of the disease.

For students who are worried they might contract meningitis, a vaccine is available at the Student Health Center for $73 and is good for three to four years.