Though a Penn student contracted what is thought to be bacterial meningitis last weekend, officials said most students are well-protected, as the University's immunization requirements are some of the strictest in the country.
The student -- who is currently in stable condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- had been vaccinated against the disease prior to coming to Penn.
The individual began showing symptoms of meningitis on Saturday and was hospitalized sometime on Sunday.
The student's place of residence has not been released. Officials said that medical confidentiality laws prevent them from divulging any identifying information.
Officials said students who were in close contact with the patient have already been notified and treated with antibiotics.
All incoming freshmen living in campus residences are required to have a meningitis vaccination, according to Pennsylvania law.
"Our requirements are in keeping with what is recommended by all experts in infectious diseases," Student Health Service Director Evelyn Wiener said.
More than 95 percent of Penn students comply with the meningitis vaccination requirement, Wiener said. Only a "handful" are exempted each year.
Some students decline to get the shot because of previous severe reactions to the vaccine. Others, including Christian Scientists, object on religious grounds.
"We will accept [requests for religious exemptions] without question," Wiener said.
Wiener said the vaccination does not protect against all types of meningitis, however. Around 20 to 30 percent of reported cases in the United States are caused by a strain of the bacterium resistant to the vaccine.
"We're not going to prevent every single case," Wiener said. "There are going to be some individuals who are going to ... get infected with the strain that's not covered by the vaccine."
The University's immunization rules for incoming students are strict relative to other universities around the country.
California law mandates that students at UC Berkeley, for example, only be immunized against Hepatitis B. Meningitis vaccinations are only a suggestion.
"There's definitely benefits to the vaccine, but it costs a lot of money," said Pam Cameron, the assistant director of clinical services at Berkeley's University Health Services. "I'm concerned about that impact on families."
Next fall will be the first time that Harvard University freshmen must have the meningitis vaccine in order to live on campus. Approximately half of Harvard students currently have been vaccinated, according to Audrey Sallese, the director of medical records at Harvard's Health Services.
But at the University, those who do not comply can face severe consequences.
Incoming Penn students who have not been immunized against meningitis -- and do not claim an exemption for any reason -- cannot register for classes, Wiener said.
"It's the goal to prevent [the infection] as much as possible," Wiener said.
