Carly Glynn, a 19-year-old family and community services sophomore who died Feb. 10 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, died of meningococcal disease, according to a release from the Ingham County Health Department.
The meningococcal bacteria was determined as the cause of Glynn’s death when she tested positive for the organism that causes meningococcal disease.
Ingham County Medical Examiner Joyce DeJong confirmed that the meningococcal bacteria caused a systemic infection throughout the body referred to as meningococcemia, said Marcus Cheatham, a public information officer from the Ingham County Health Department.
Cheatham said the strain of the disease that took Glynn’s life, Type B, is the only strain that the meningococcal vaccine does not protect against.
“Her immunizations were up to date, but she had the misfortune to come across the one that isn’t protected by the vaccine,” Cheatham said.
According to the release, 15 people were identified by the Ingham County Health Department that might have had close contact with Glynn. All were given preventative medications, and no new cases of the disease in association with the case have been reported.
Studies will continue to see if any more information on the cause of Glynn’s death can be found, Cheatham said.
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