The Jefferson County Health Department has confirmed another bacterial meningitis case in Louisville.

The 27-year-old patient, who has not been identified, is in critical condition at University Hospital. Officials say that his condition worsened overnight. He's on a respirator and is not responding.

He is a county EMT, who has been on fewer than 25 runs in the last 10 days. Health officials say that they'll need to find out who, if any, among the patients he has dealt with will need preventive treatments.

"Patients could be at risk who may have spent a long time with the (EMT), or if they shared excretions," University Hospital spokesman Dr. Craigh Humbaugh said. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is a common procedure that could cause two people to share excretions.

Throughout the day, the EMT's co-workers visited the hospital to comfort his family and friends. Even though these are men and women who are used to dealing with sick people, they're viewing this ordeal from a different perspective.

"Even though he's only been with us for five-and-a-half months, he's part of our family," Capt. Todd Early said. "It's a little different when it's one of your own. We're all pretty shook up about it."

The patients roommate and coworker is being credited for his quick action. He immediately called 911 when he came home and found the patient with a high fever, nausea and vomiting.

The workers who transported him to the hospital as well as several other EMTs have been given preventative treatments.

Dr. Clifford McDonald told NewsChannel 32 that close contact is the primary way that meningitis can be transmitted.

"We're not worried about people down the street, or schoolchildren in the area," McDonald said.

One in every 10 meningitis cases is fatal. One in every seven cases leaves the patient with a severe handicap.

Symptoms of meningitis include a high fever, chills and a rash that looks like a bruise.

"Eventually the body can deteriorate and it can lead to death, so it's a very serious disease," Humbaugh cautioned.