My daughter’s college roommate just informed her that she had a bacterial infection. She was having abdominal pain which brought her to the doctor. What is the risk factor for my daughter?
There is always a risk for infection to close contacts as the bacteria can spread through air, body fluid droppings and through fomites (objects which come in contact with the infected secretions and then a healthy person touches it and ingests it or it gets in through broken skin barrier) depending on what bacteria is in question.
The most important thing is to monitor the contact for any signs of infection:
- fever
- malaise
- appetite change
- weight loss
- cough
If your daughter has any of these symptoms, have her visit the campus health center or contact her family physician.
All My Best,
Speaking of Women's Health Nurse
October 31, 2011 at 12:02pm