Did you know?
• Between 100 and 125 cases occur on college campuses every year.
• 5 to 15 college students die each year as a result.
• The frequency of outbreaks has risen at U.S. colleges and universities during the 1990s.

What is meningitis?
There are 2 main types of meningitis: viral and bacterial.  Viral meningitis is fairly common and usually does not cause serious illness. 
Bacterial meningitis is a rare but potentially fatal infection. It can occur in two forms – as either meningococcal meningitis, an inflammation that affects the brain and spinal cord, or as meningococcemia, the presence of bacteria in the blood. Permanent brain damage, hearing loss,
learning disability, limb amputation, kidney failure, or death can result from the infection.

What causes meningitis?
This infectious disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningititis, a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in older children and young adults in the U.S.

What are the early symptoms of meningitis? 
~ High fever          ~ Severe headache
~ Rash                  ~ Neck stiffness 
~ Vomiting            ~ Lethargy
~ Nausea              ~ Sensitivity to light

Meningitis usually peaks in late winter and early spring, overlapping flu season; and symptoms can easily be mistaken for the flu.
The infection progresses quickly, students should seek medical care immediately if two or more symptoms occur at one time.
If untreated, meningitis can lead to shock and death within hours of the first symptoms.

Who is at risk for meningitis?
Meningitis can strike at any age; however, certain groups have a greater risk for contracting the disease:
College students, particularly freshmen, who live in campus residence halls.
Anyone in close contact with a known case.
Anyone with an upper respiratory infection with a compromised immune system.
Anyone traveling to endemic areas of the world where meningitis is prevalent.

How is meningitis transmitted?
Meningitis bacteria are transmitted through air droplets and direct contact with persons already infected with the disease.
Direct contact also occurs with shared items, such as cigarettes or drinking glasses, or through intimate contact such as kissing.

Is there a vaccine to help prevent meningitis?
There are 2 vaccines available. 
These vaccines are 85 to 100% effective against 4 of the most common of the 13 subgroups of N meningitides.
The vaccine is safe, with mild and infrequent side effects, such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to 2 days.
After vaccination, immunity develops within 7 to 10 days and remains effective for approximately 3 to 5 years. (Conjugate estimated at 8 to 10 years.) As with any vaccine, vaccination against meningitis may not protect 100% of all susceptible individuals.

Is vaccination recommended for college students?
Certain college students, particularly freshmen who live or plan to live in dormitories or residence halls, have a 6-fold increased risk of disease.
Massachusetts law requires newly enrolled full-time students attending colleges, who will be living in a dormitory, to receive the meningococcal vaccine. All students covered by the regulations must provide documentation of having received the vaccine within the last 5 years.  For more information regarding exemptions to receiving the vaccine, please go to the Immunizations section of the Suffolk University Health Services website.
Other undergraduate students whishing to reduce their risk of meningitis can choose to be vaccinated.

The vaccine is available at Suffolk University Health Services. Students will be required to pay for the vaccine. Students can either make an appointment by calling 617-573-8260 or come to the Health Services Office during immunization hours (Tue-Thu 4-5pm).
Additional information regarding meningitis and college students is available at the following web sites:
http://www.nmaus.org/
www.mass.gov/dph/topics/meningitis.htm