Ryan Day / The Citizen

AUBURN -- A member of the Auburn junior varsity lacrosse team was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis Tuesday afternoon, and school and county health officials were notifying players and parents of the situation.

Auburn superintendent John Plume would not release the name of the student involved, but said the student was "responding well" at a nearby hospital.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the fluid in the spinal cord and the fluid surrounding the brain. It can result in brain damage and even death.

Plume said the student was feeling ill and visited a physician on Monday. The cause of his illness was diagnosed Tuesday as bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meingitis bacteria.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday, Plume was notified of the student's condition. The Auburn JV lacrosse team, which was playing in a game against West Genesee at Corcoran High School, was contacted and returned to Auburn immediately after receiving the information. Play was stopped at the beginning of the game.

Plume said meningitis testing for the entire team is unnecessary as long as the students remain aware and watch out for the disease's symptoms.

Bacteria that cause meningitis are not very contagious and do not spread by casual contact or simply by breathing the air of an infected person. This kind of bacteria can only be spread by direct contact with discharges from the nose or throat of an infected person.

For more details, read Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.