--- title: TIME Explains: Meningitis Scares | TIME description: Seven cases of a rare form of meningitis were reported on Princeton University’s campus. Here’s what you need to know. canonical: https://time.com/video/O2a0DQt6/ og:title: TIME Explains: Meningitis Scares og:description: Seven cases of a rare form of meningitis were reported on Princeton University’s campus. Here’s what you need to know. og:url: https://time.com/video/O2a0DQt6/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/O2a0DQt6/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: TIME Explains: Meningitis Scares twitter:description: Seven cases of a rare form of meningitis were reported on Princeton University’s campus. Here’s what you need to know. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/O2a0DQt6/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # TIME Explains: Meningitis Scares > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: TIME Explains: Meningitis Scares [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Explains: Meningitis Scares](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/O2a0DQt6.m3u8) (2:34)  _Published 2013-11-19. Seven cases of a rare form of meningitis were reported on Princeton University’s campus. Here’s what you need to know._ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:56 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Northwestern University’s Deal With Student Protesters Offers Example of Successful Negotiations](/video/QQTmncuL/) ### Northwestern University’s Deal With Student Protesters Offers Example of Successful Negotiations [Boston Pharmacist in Deadly Meningitis Outbreak Cleared Of Murder](/video/zRrzLmis/) ### Boston Pharmacist in Deadly Meningitis Outbreak Cleared Of Murder [TIME Explains: What Started The Meningitis Outbreak?](/video/3aIRp4rE/) ### TIME Explains: What Started The Meningitis Outbreak? --- ## Transcript Of a rare form of Meningitis were reported on Princeton University's campus. Here's what you need to know. [ SOUND ] The seven cases emerged over the past seven months. And while that might seem like a small number, what worries public health officials is that meningitis is a relatively rare disease. And what they found were cases of meningitis group B, which is also rare in the United States. Normally, people in the U. S. are infected with strains from groups A, C, Y or W135. So there are vaccines that can protect against those four types, but not against group B. [ MUSIC ] Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and the spinal cord, and there are actually five types of meningitis, depending on what causes the inflammation. There's bacterial meningitis, such as the cases that are circulating in Princeton, and these are generally caused by streptococcus, listeria, or haemophilus strains. Then there's viral meningitis, which can be caused by enteroviruses like herpes. Parasitic meningitis, which is more common in the developing world. And fungal meningitis, which can be caused after inhaling spores from certain fungi. There's also a non- infectious type of meningitis that can be triggered by head injuries, cancer, and auto immune diseases. 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