Feb 24, 2015 01:19 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

A student at the University of California (UC) - Davis has been hospitalized for the contagious bacterial infection known as meningococcal disease.

Constance Caldwell, health officer for Yolo County, told the Sacramento Bee the student is in good condition, all things considered. Caldwell said meningitis is more common among college-age people and is contagious, though not through casual contact.

"University and county health officials are identifying people who had close contact with the student and recommending antibiotics to protect them from becoming ill," UC - Davis said in a statement. "Officials are not recommending antibiotic prophylaxis for community members or UC Davis students in general. Prophylaxis is recommended for people specifically identified as close contacts of the ill student."

The school identified symptoms as "high fever, severe headache, rash, body aches/joint pain, nausea/vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and confusion." They advised anyone experiencing these symptoms to get checked immediately, as meningitis is known to come on quickly and can be dangerous.

"Usually it comes on very suddenly," Caldwell told the Bee. "All of a sudden you have a high fever, you feel horrible and have symptoms you might mix up with influenza or some other viral infection.

"If they are headed to college and never had a dose, they should certainly get a dose.

"It tends to spread in crowded settings where kids are living in dorms and eating in cafeterias and sharing water bottles."

People infected with meningitis are considered contagious for up to a week before falling ill to 24 hours after taking antibiotics. Serious infections warrant hospital stays and treatments typically last a week or more.

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