A high school student from Windham, N.H. has been hospitalized since late last week with a suspected case of bacterial meningitis, a potentially fatal disease that is spread through saliva, according to New Hampshire health officials.

The student, whose identity is being kept confidential, saw a physician last week for the symptoms. The doctor then turn reported it to state health officials Friday, as New Hampshire law mandates physicians do in suspected cases of bacterial meningitis, said Elizabeth Talbot, deputy state epidemiologist.