The University sent an e-mail to some students Friday cautioning them that a person in one of their classes died from a highly contagious disease. But the e-mail said students do not have to be overly concerned.
Don Moreau of the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office said Brock Everett Manuel, an electrical engineering sophomore, died of sepsis, an infection of the bloodstream. Manuel’s roommate found him dead in his off-campus apartment Wednesday.
Moreau said the infection, meningococcal sepsis, is in the same family as meningitis. But Manuel did not die of meningitis, Moreau reconfirmed.
Curtis Chastain, an internal medicine doctor with Lake Primary Care Physicians, said meningitis typically is confused with meningococcal sepsis.
Sepsis is a highly contagious disease, but it does not affect everyone.
Chastain said the infection is spread through sneezing and coughing. But, not all people infected have the same symptoms.
“One person may experience a mild flu-like illness, while another may develop shock and die,” Chastain said.
Some signs of the infection are fever, headache, nausea or a deep purple rash across the body.
Moreau said it is uncertain how Manuel contracted the disease. He said sepsis typically affects people with weak immune systems.
He said while it is not common for a healthy young person to get sepsis, it does happen.
In the e-mail to students Dr. Timothy Honigman, chief of staff at the LSU Student Health Center, said classroom contact does not put people at high risk of contracting the disease.
Chastain said anyone who was within 10 feet of Manuel should be concerned if they develop any signs.
“Not every student is at risk. If a student has not developed symptoms by now, then they are probably OK,” Chastain said.
He said if someone develops the rash they need to seek medical attention immediately due to the overwhelming nature of the illness.
The University still is trying to contact those who had close contact with Manuel, and are recommending they contact their physician.