A UW-Eau Claire student died of complications due to meningococcal meningitis Tuesday evening at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire.
Amber Krenz, a 22-year-old junior majoring in environmental and public health, died of meningococcal disease after hospitalization because of a high fever.
“She attended class on Monday, was hospitalized Monday evening with a high fever and died Tuesday afternoon,” Mike Rindo, spokesman for UW-Eau Claire, said.
Although a student at the university, Krenz lived off campus with her family.
Health officials reported this case was an isolated incident and have no suspicion of other infections.
“This is an isolated case,” Rindo said. “The Eau Claire City/County Health Department said there are no individuals at risk of infection, they are working with people who may have been in direct contact with Amber Krenz.”
UW Eau Claire Health Services sent a campus-wide e-mail informing students of Krenz’s death and gave information about meningitis and where to get medical assistance or counseling.
The e-mail told students meningococcal disease is caused by a bacterium that can produce an infection of a person’s bloodstream, spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. The e-mail also informed students about the possible manners of infections. It said the disease is contagious, “but NOT through general contact. To be exposed, you must have direct contact with the carrier, including exposure to saliva or other secretions. Simply being close to or sitting next to a carrier in class would not cause you risk.”
UWEC Dean of Students Ann Lapp and Health Services Director Laura Chellman met with students who had class with Krenz.
Rindo said these visits were beneficial, and although students were curious, they were not afraid.
“The dean of students has said when she went to talk to students, they had questions and they are shocked that Amber died, because she was in class on Monday and died on Tuesday,” he said.
Despite the dean’s report of little fear, some students are taking precautions.
“She was in my geology class, which was cancelled today because of her death,” UWEC sophomore Carla Lagorio said.”When I found out, I was like ?Oh my God, she sat right behind me.’ I called my doctor, and they prescribed me the same antibiotics as they are prescribing for anthrax.”
UWEC is offering counseling for anyone directly affected by Krenz’s death. They also told students to call Health Services with any questions.
“The university is doing a really good job of keeping everyone calm,” Lagorio said. “The dean of students and president of health services came and talked to [my geology class] and talked to us about how it was a bacterial infection in her bloodstream, which means it wasn’t too contagious.”
The source of Krenz’s infection is unknown and health professionals contend it may never be known.
“We’ve been told by doctors, including infectious disease specialists, that the contraction may be impossible to trace because there are people in the community who are carriers and don’t know because they do not show symptoms of the disease,” Rindo said. “It’s going to be probably impossible to know where she contracted it.”
