Feb. 12, 8:18 p.m.
Two students have been hospitalized with meningococcal infections, according to Student Health Services director Evelyn Wiener.
One student is in stable condition after treatment. The other student is in critical condition, according to Wiener.
She added that the two cases are likely related, though she was unable to give further details.
The student in critical condition was hospitalized on Thursday, Wiener said.
She would not say when the other student was hospitalized, though that student first experienced symptoms of the infection on Monday.
A University-wide notification about the two students was e-mailed out earlier this afternoon.
At this point, Wiener said, doctors believe the students have meningococcemia, which is caused by the same bacteria that causes meningitis.
Meningococcemia is a bacterial infection within the bloodstream, while meningitis is an infection of the central nervous system.
Common early symptoms of a meningococcal infection include fever, severe headache, sensitivity to bright light, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, rash and lethargy.
Anyone who is experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.
Individuals who have been in close contact with the two students should be treated with prophylactic medication.
Wiener said both of the hospitalized students have provided lists of those who may have been in close contact with them.
All of these students have already been contacted by the University.
Treatment was administered to more than 100 of these students at Student Health Services today, she said.
Those who have had casual contact - such as living in the same dormitory, eating in the same dining hall or attending classes together - with the two students are not at risk for infection and treatment is not recommended for these individuals.
Student Health Services sees about one case of meningococcal infections every one to two years, Wiener said.
There are generally about four to five cases in the city of Philadelphia each year.
In September 2007, then-College sophomore Anne Ryan died after being hospitalized for meningococcal meningitis.
Her family filed a lawsuit against the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in January 2008, alleging Ryan's doctors initially misdiagnosed her meningitis and did not provide adequate treatment.
