An Ohio University student who died last week after a bacterial meningitis infection was the school’s seventh case in a year. Eighty miles northwest in Columbus, Ohio, cases are few and far between.

“In the time time that I’ve been here, which is a pretty long time, it averages out to one case about every other year,” said Roger Miller, a physician at Ohio State’s Wilce Student Health Center who has worked at the university for 20 years.

Since 2004, there have been two cases of bacterial meningitis reported at OSU, and neither case was fatal. Columbus averages about one case of the disease every year, according to the Columbus Department of Public Health. All local medical facilities are required to report cases to the department.

College students, especially freshmen, are more likely to contract the potentially fatal disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“People do spend a fair amount of time in close proximity to each other, whether it’s living together in a dorm room or sitting two feet away from each other in a large classroom,” Miller said. “There are some opportunities there where there may be more risk.”

Although OSU falls below the national average of annual cases, according to the National Meningitis Association, Miller said that when infections occur on campus the university quickly notifies students, staff and faculty.

“If you were to compare Ohio State to a 50,000 person town, I think we probably have a better means of reaching everyone in our community,” he said.

The Ohio Legislature passed a law in 2005 requiring all students at public universities to receive the vaccination for the disease, or sign a waiver if they refuse.

“Vaccination is helpful. We are certainly seeing less meningitis of the types that are covered by the vaccine than we used to, so it’s important to be vaccinated,” he said.

Universities are also required to give information about the disease to students.

Miller says it is important to remember that the disease can spread before any symptoms occur.

“The one thing to be thoughtful about is this is a disease, like many other infections, that can be spread before the person gets seriously ill, so it is important to know that if your roommate or a close friend becomes ill. You need to think about what your exposure was to that person in at least the 24 hours prior to them getting sick,” he said.

Symptoms of meningitis are fever, headache, neck stiffness, vomiting and sensitivity to light.

The infection can be passed through any activity where saliva is exchanged, such as sharing a drinking glass or eating utensils, kissing or even extended face-to-face contact.

Students who think they may have meningitis or have been in contact with someone who does are encouraged to seek a health professional immediately, even if they are vaccinated against the disease.