The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is investigating the Thursday death of a Metropolitan State College of Denver student as a possible case of meningococcal disease.
Bacterial cultures are pending and test results may be available this weekend.
Mark Salley, a spokesman for the department, said the sudden onset of the student’s symptoms and death is what has prompted the possibility that this could be a bacterial meningococcal case.
The student, who has not been identified, lived off-campus, Sally said.
Metro is notifying students and staff about the death, but many are already traveling for the fall break.
On Oct. 20, Colorado State University sophomore, Christina Adame died from a meningococcal infection. Adame’s illness was linked to an outbreak that killed four other people, including three Fort Collins adult-league hockey players and another Metro student who died in April.
All five deaths were linked to the same strain within group C of meningococcal bacteria. At least two others have been sickened by the infection.
The normal fatality rate for infections is between 10 and 15 percent, a rate far exceeded by the latest outbreak.
Two weeks ago, CSU gave the meningococcal vaccine to about 8,000 people as a response to the outbreak.
Adame had been vaccinated in 2006. Health officials at the time said no vaccine is 100 percent effective. There is no vaccine for the B group of the disease.
The disease can move rapidly and initially mimics cold and flu symptoms, with headache, fever, sore throat and a stiff neck. Within hours symptoms can progress to complications requiring limb amputation, causing nervous-system damage or death. Colorado sees 16 to 25 cases of meningococcal disease each year.
The disease is passed through close, face-to-face contact, such as sharing eating and drinking utensils or kissing, with the most likely exposure occurring within households.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372 or yrobles@denverpost.com
