Increase in college campus meningitis cases has some worried

Julie Bernstein
Daily Bruin (U. California-Los Angeles)

(U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES -- A recent TV news story on the risks of meningitis in the college-age population has worried UCLA parents and students, concerned by close quarters in on-campus housing.

According to the John Hopkins School of Public Health study highlighted in the Sept. 22 episode of 20/20, the infection rate of students living in dormitories more than triples from .96 per 100,000 people for off-campus college students to 3.24 for on-campus residents. Moreover, the on-campus infection rate is twice as high as the general population of the same age.

"At UCLA, the incidence of meningitis has been extremely rare," said Jo Ann Dawson, director of primary care at the Arthur Ashe Health and Wellness Center. "There has only been one case in the past 20 years at UCLA and he didn't even live in the dorms."

"Some television programs have raised awareness of the infection. We pay attention to our patient's concerns," she added.

Meningitis is an infection of the lining and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Once it enters the bloodstream, deadly toxins cause the blood to clot, cutting off the blood supply to critical organs and limbs and causing symptoms to develop within a couple hours after infection.

Approximately 3,000 cases of meningococcal disease occur annually in the United States, predominantly among the very old and very young.

The most common warning signs include high fever, headache and a stiff neck in anyone over the age of 2. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort when looking into bright lights, confusion and sleepiness. As the disease progresses, patients of any age may have seizures and permanent brain damage.

The increased risks on campus are explained by the contagious nature of the infection. Meningoccocal bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions such as coughing and kissing. None of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as those bacteria that cause things like the common cold or the flu, nor are they spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the same air where a person with meningitis has been.

Despite the low risk, parents of undergraduates living in residence halls have been calling health officials at the Ashe Center with questions since the 20/20 story aired on Sept. 22. The media exposure has resulted in an increase in the number of meningococcal vaccinations for the center.

"In the past, 20 people have requested the vaccination in a normal year," Dawson said. "At least one person has requested it every day since the beginning of the quarter."

As a result of increased concern the Ashe Center has posted information on their Web site and distributed handouts about the infection.

"If you really look at the numbers you'll notice that the risk is not very high," said Kristie Manning, a Student Health Advocate and third-year physiological science student. "But if there is a vaccine, you might as well get it. It lasts for three years, which will cover most people's on-campus college years."

Early diagnosis and treatment are important in treating the disease and if symptoms occur, the patient should see a doctor immediately, officials warn. A spinal tap is usually performed in which doctors can identify the type of pathogen, bacterial or viral, responsible for the infection.

According to Lee Harrison, a physician who was the lead author of the Johns Hopkins study, more than 80 percent of the 88 meningitis cases he analyzed on college campuses last year could have been prevented with a vaccine.

"Meningococcal is currently part of the routine array of vaccinations given to infants," Dawson said. "It wasn't available when the current group of students were young."

Meningococcal vaccinations, however, is not covered as a "routine vaccination" under the UCLA Medical Insurance Plan. At the Ashe Center, the vaccine costs $78.

But Dawson recommends calling the MIP insurance line, or requesting a reimbursement from your current insurer.

Ann Miller, a fourth-year mathematics major is one of many UCLA students who aren't rushing to get the vaccination.

"At any one time, every student in college may either have a stiff neck or flu-like symptoms," Miller said. "I'm not going to freak out about this."Many UCLA parents, who watched the story, however, are encouraging their children to get vaccinated.

"When I face the costs of college, I can buy a vaccine for less than the price of a pair of pajamas, and potentially save my kid's life," said Linda Johnson, a parent of a UCLA student. "What parents wouldn't want to do that?"

Information on areas for which meningococcal vaccine is recommended can be obtained by calling the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at (404) 332-4565.