Students and employees at Virginia Western Community College received word Thursday that a student at the school has bacterial meningitis.

The notification came via e-mail from the office of student services, working with the Alleghany/Roanoke City Health Districts.

"Virginia Western has been notified that one of our students has contracted bacterial meningitis," wrote Lori Baker, dean of student services. "There is no cause for alarm; however, we have taken the precautionary steps of contacting the faculty and students who are in the affected student's classes."

Margaret Boyes, the school's public relations specialist, said college officials became aware of the situation on Monday but, because of Presidents Day, were unable to reach the Virginia Department of Health until Tuesday.

Robert Parker, the regional spokesman for the health department, said the Alleghany/Roanoke City Health Districts conducted the investigation to locate anyone at the school who had come into close contact with the student. He said the effort to identify close contacts had been completed, that the total "was not a large number," and that the person or people were being treated.

Boyes said a letter was mailed Wednesday to classmates of the infected student and that later in the day the dean of the health sciences division spoke about the situation to all of the classes that the student is in. Students who were absent Wednesday received a phone call. Boyes would not release the number of classes in which the unidentified student is enrolled.

On Thursday, the e-mail from student services went out to the school's approximately 9,000 students and 300 employees.

According to the Virginia Department of Health Web site, meningitis is an infection of tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting and skin rash. The infection can, in some cases lead to permanent complications or even death. These instances represent about 10 percent to 20 percent of those who become ill.

The bacteria that cause meningococcal meningitis are spread by direct contact with secretions such as saliva and mucus, which could include being sneezed or coughed on by an infected person, or through kissing or sharing beverages or eating utensils.

This bacteria, the Department of Health reported, "do not survive for more than a few minutes on ... surfaces such as tables, chairs, clothing, etc. Casual contact such as occurs in a classroom or office setting is not usually significant enough to spread disease."

Parker described the situation as "an isolated incident," and said VWCC students and employees who are not showing any symptoms and have not been contacted by the health department should have no reason to suspect they're at any increased risk of illness.

"It's not what we consider a public health risk," Parker said. "The circle has been closed. There's not a risk to the public at large or to the school population."

He also stressed practical precautions.

"It all comes back to washing hands," he explained. "This is an illness spread by direct contact. Wash your hands, and don't share personal items."

On the Net: www.vdh.state.va.us/Epidemiology/factsheets/Meningococcal.htm