Larimer County health officials Thursday confirmed that the bacteria that caused meningococcal disease in a Colorado State University student in early December matched other cases in northern Colorado over the past eight months.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s lab has confirmed that the bacteria that caused the recent infection were identical strains of Group C meningococcal bacteria, according to a news release.
There have been eight cases of meningococcal disease in Larimer County since May, four of which were fatal. Of those cases, the bacteria from seven patients were identical and also matched a fatal case in a Metropolitan State College of Denver student in April.
One case of meningococcal disease was unrelated to the others.
The cases include illnesses that killed a Metro State student in April; caused a disabling case of meningitis in a CSU student in May; led to three fatal meningococcal cases of Fort Collins hockey players in June; caused a less severe case in a hockey player’s child in August; and killed a CSU student in October.
The student who became ill in early December was released after about a week in Poudre Valley Hospital and is believed to be doing well at his parents’ home out of state.
Kirk Mitchell, The Denver Post
