University officials declined to release personal details about the man's medical condition because of privacy issues. They confirmed only that the faculty member who became ill was helping to clean up at the Biomedical Sciences building.

And university spokesman Jim Manke did say the faculty member is recovering well after a period of hospitalization.

The bacteria that causes the disease, commonly found in streams throughout the state, often causes flulike symptoms and, in rare cases, death.

The disease can be treated early with antibiotics but the common symptoms often cause people to mistake the illness for other less serious ailments and delay seeking medical help.

Both university health services and the state Department of Health sent out leptospirosis warnings after the October flooding.

About 500 cases of leptospirosis — including seven deaths — have been reported in Hawai'i in the past decade. Hawai'i averages 44 cases a year. More cases have been linked to the Waipi'o River on the Big Island than any other single source. The disease also has been traced to Maunawili Stream/Falls, Kapena Falls/Nu'uanu Stream and Kahana Stream on O'ahu; and on Kaua'i, to Waimea River, Wailua River and the Hanalei River.

A Big Island college student, Simon Hultman, died in January on the Mainland from leptospirosis believed to have been contracted during a visit home over the holidays.