A SUSPECTED case of the potentially fatal disease meningitis has left a York student in hospital.

Staff and students at the University of York have been put on alert after 20-year-old James Flinders reportedly collapsed at a college event on Saturday night.

A Health Protection Unit (HPU) spokeswoman said it was not yet possible to say what strain of meningitis Mr Flinders was suffering from as it was still a suspected case.

He was today said to be "stable" in York Hospital.

Although most students at the university have been vaccinated against bacterial meningitis strains A and C, there is no vaccination for the B variety, which accounts for 80 per cent of bacterial meningitis cases in the UK.

Mr Flinders' close friends have been given antibiotics and a massive awareness campaign has been launched on campus.

Students have been reminded of the symptoms of the disease as part of the university's action plan.

The HPU spokeswoman said health officials had acted quickly in containing the virus, and there was no reason to fear it would spread.

Mr Flinders is a politics, philosophy and economics student and lives off campus. He is the chair of Halifax Junior Common Room Committee.

It was reported the second year student had been to a Halifax College "Xtra" event when he was taken ill. Heloise Wood, who was at the event on Saturday, said: "I had no idea. James seemed fine. He was handing out lollipops to all the students and he generally looked like he was enjoying himself."

Mr Flinders is said to be active in campus politics and is working on a fair trade policy so his college can only buy products from ethical suppliers. The Students' Union has sent him a get well card.

University of York spokeswoman Hilary Layton said: "We have very strict procedures we follow in conjunction with the Health Protection Agency. We have started an information campaign on campus, particularly targeted at those from the same college or department (as Mr Flinders).

"We have liaised with the students union and there is a web link, that staff and students can log on to to find out about the disease. We urge students to look out for their friends, because if you are ill you might not be well enough to seek help."

The last case of meningitis at the university was in January last year. Before that it was in late 1999.

Miss Layton said: "It is only if you had very close contact (with Mr Flinders) that there is any risk at all.

"We periodically remind staff and students of meningitis and the risks of it."

The Meningitis Trust reissued a warning to students to be aware of the symptoms of the disease and not to wait for the symptoms to appear before seeking help.

Symptoms of deadly disease

MENINGITIS and meningococcal septicaemia may not be easy to spot at first, because the symptoms can be similar to those of flu.

They may develop over one or two days, but sometimes develop in a matter of hours. Symptoms of meningitis do not appear in any particular order and some may not appear at all. It is important to remember that other symptoms may occur.

In children and adults:

High temperature, possibly with cold hands and feet

Vomiting, sometimes diarrhoea

Severe headache

Neck stiffness (unable to touch the chin to the chest)

Joint or muscle pains, sometimes stomach cramps with septicaemia

Dislike of bright lights

Drowsiness

Patient may become confused or disorientated.

Both adults and children may have a rash that starts as red or purple spots anywhere on the body, and is a symptom of septicaemia, or blood poisoning.

It is important to remember that the rash does not always appear.

For details log on to www.meningitis-trust.org

Updated: 10:18 Wednesday, March 09, 2005