When news swept the campus last semester of a Tulane student who died of bacterial meningitis, LSU students rushed to get their vaccines, worrying an outbreak could occur on the campus. Now LSU has its first reported case of meningitis for the year.
David Leak, a turf grass management senior, was treated for bacterial meningitis during the semester break and now is in fair condition at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.
According to Leak’s father, Carter Leak, David was admitted to West Feliciana Parish Hospital on Jan. 9 and was transferred to Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge that evening.
Leak said his son’s symptoms started simply as a sore throat and fatigue.
“His symptoms were all flu symptoms, and that’s the scariest part of all of this,” Leak said.
Bacterial meningitis is rarer and more serious than its counterpart, viral meningitis, according to WebMD.
Although David was not treated at the Student Health Center, chief of staff Dr. Timothy Honigman said he heard about the case from other students and staff.
“My understanding is that he is doing fine,” Honigman said.
Honigman said despite the seriousness of the diagnosis, he is thankful Leak was not on campus or in a residence hall, so outside exposure to meningitis was minimal.
According to the American College Health Association, or ACHA, meningitis is rare but potentially fatal. It can be transmitted through oral contact with shared items such as cigarettes and drinking glasses, or through intimate contact such as kissing.
Leak said doctors don’t think his son contracted the bacteria from someone else, but rather believe the bacteria were already present in David’s body and eventually caused the infection.
Doctors treated David Leak with antibiotics and Our Lady of the Lake lists him in fair condition, meaning his vital signs are stable and within normal limits. He is conscious but may be uncomfortable, and indicators are all favorable.
“He’s doing wonderfully,” Leak said of his son.
David could be sent home as early as this weekend, but doctors have said it will be a couple of months before he is back to normal speed. David will take this semester off to recover.
The ACHA recommends that college students, particularly those living in dormitories and students with medical conditions that compromise immunity, should be vaccinated to decrease their risk for meningitis. The side effects are minimal, and the vaccine is effective for three to five years.
Honigman said the Student Health Center does not have any mass immunizations planned for this semester. The Center usually contracts an outside medical company to come to the Union to administer vaccines. The mass vaccinations have occurred four times in the last three years, including once last semester.
The Student Health Center currently carries Menomune, the vaccine for meningitis, and can administer it to students by appointment for $65.
“We encourage students on campus to come get the vaccine,” Honigman said.
Early symptoms of meningitis include fever, severe headache, stiff neck, rash, nausea, vomiting, and lethargy, and may resemble the flu, according to the ACHA.
“Studies indicate that some things in a college student lifestyle – going to clubs, being in large groups, sharing drinks and smoking seem to put you at increased risk for meningitis,” Honigman said. He suggests students eat well, get plenty of sleep, and exercise in order to reduce their risk for the disease.