Washington U. student dies of bacterial meningitis

ST. LOUIS -- A college student in St. Louis has died after contracting bacterial meningitis.

Washington University undergraduate Emily Benatar died Wednesday at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She was a first-year student from California. Chancellor Mark Wrighton says her family was with her when she died.

Benatar was diagnosed last month. No other cases have been diagnosed at Washington University.

The bacteria that cause the disease are transmitted from person to person through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions, such as through kissing, sneezing and coughing, or through sharing food or drink.

The family is holding a memorial service at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, Calif. A campus memorial service will be in the fall semester.