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University officials are working to alert people who may have come in close contact with the student.
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Duke Student Health has also been working closely with the Durham County Health Department to find potential contacts, the school said. Close contact is considered direct exposure to a person's saliva. Examples might include kissing, sharing a drink or toothbrush, or prolonged exposure to someone coughing.
Casual contact does not transmit the infection.
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Dr. John Vaughn, director of Student Health Services, and Dr. Cameron Wolfe, associate professor of medicine in the infectious disease division, sent a message to students who may have had contact with the affected student, updating them about the situation and advising that they may want to take an antibiotic "as a preventative measure to lower the risk even further."
The doctors encouraged students to contact Duke's student health center if they have questions at (919) 681-9355, Option 2. Non-students can contact the Durham County Health Department at (919) 560-7600. Students who were notified and who have already left for the Thanksgiving holiday can contact their local health provider about receiving the antibiotic.