IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE:

The new State of Georgia law requires Student Health Services to give you the following important facts about meningococcal disease:

1) Meningococcal disease is a serious infection caused by bacteria, most commonly causing meningitis (an infection of the membranes that surround the spinal cord and brain) or sepsis (an infection of blood that affects many organ systems).

2) College freshmen, particularly those living in residence halls, have a modestly increased risk of getting the disease compared with other persons of the same age. Up to 100 cases occur among the 15 million college students in the United States each year, with 5-15 deaths. However, the overall risk of disease, even among college students, is low.

3) Crowded living conditions and smoking (active or passive) add additional risk factors that are potentially modifiable.

4) Bacteria are spread from person-to-person through secretions from the mouth and nose, transmitted through close contact. Casual contact or breathing in the same air space is not considered sufficient for transmission.

5) Common symptoms of meningitis include: stiff neck, headache, fever, sensitivity to light, sleepiness, confusion and seizures. Invasive meningococcal disease, or blood infection with the organism, causes fever and rash.

6) The disease can be treated with antibiotics, but treatment must be started early. Even with treatment, some patients may die. Survivors may be left with a severe disability such as the loss of a limb.

7) A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine is available at Emory University Student Health Services (EUSHS).  The vaccine may also be available at travel clinics, health departments and through private providers.  Prices may vary.  The price at EUSHS is $88.  A new conjugate vaccine (Menactra ™) appears to offer protection for up to 8 years and possibly longer (it is too new to know for sure).  Emory University Student Health Services will have the new vaccine available in Fall 2005 and after, with initial pricing of $92.  Call (404) 727-7551 and select Option 1 to schedule a vaccination appointment.  We also have a meningitis vaccination clinic each year at Emory College Freshmen Orientation.  See your Orientation program for date, time and location.

8) The vaccine protects against 4 of the 5 most common types of meningococcal bacteria and protection typically lasts 3-5 years (for the polysaccharide vaccine) and 8 years or longer for the new conjugate vaccine.

9) Vaccination may decrease the risk of meningococcal disease. However, it does not eliminate the risk because the vaccine does not protect against all types of meningococcal bacteria. Approximately 50-75% of disease among college students is likely to be vaccine-preventable.

10) Vaccine is not provided by the Georgia Division of Public Health for several reasons: (a) this vaccine is not included in the routinely recommended vaccine schedule approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics; (b) there is not a Georgia Department of Human Resources mandate to provide this vaccine; and (c) there is not current appropriation for the purchase of this vaccine.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS

Information for Students and Parents:

THE DISEASE

· What is meningococcal meningitis?

Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus.

· What are the symptoms?

Symptoms include fever, severe headache, stiff neck, rash, nausea, vomiting, and lethargy. The infection can lead to permanent disabilities, such as hearing loss and brain damage. Despite antibiotic treatment, 10% of people with meningococcal meningitis die each year from the disease.

· What is meningococcemia?

Sometimes the meningococcal bacteria can infect the bloodstream. This infection is termed meningococcemia. It can lead to kidney and heart failure, and like meningococcal meningitis, can result in severe disability and death.

· How is the disease spread?

The infection is spread by direct contact with infected individuals (for example, sharing a glass or cigarette, or kissing) or through the air via droplets of respiratory secretions (for example, coughing or sneezing).

· How common is meningococcal disease?

Neisseria meningitidis is the second most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States, responsible for 3,000-4,000 cases each year. While meningococcal disease overall remains relatively rare, the number of outbreaks has been on the rise in recent years. Whereas there were only 13 outbreaks during the 12-year period from 1980 to 1991, at least 33 outbreaks hit in just the 5 years between 1992 and 1996, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

· Who is at risk for meningococcal meningitis?

In the past, the attack rate of endemic meningococcal disease was highest among children 6 to 36 months of age. Lately, however, the risk appears to be shifting toward older children and adolescents, with a rising number of outbreaks in schools, universities, and other organization-based settings, according to the American College Health Association (ACHA). In fact, over half of the outbreaks from 1992 to 1996 occurred in schools, colleges, universities, and similar settings. Also at increased risk for meningococcal disease are travelers to certain hyperendemic or epidemic countries (such as part of Sub-Saharan Africa), people with certain immune deficiencies, and household or institutional contacts of infected individuals.

· Why are college students at greater risk for meningococcal disease than the general population?

While the reasons are not yet fully understood, studies from previous college outbreaks suggest that college students are more susceptible because they live and work in close proximity to each other in dormitories and classrooms. Behavioral and social aspects of college life appear to be risk factors as well, with smoking, exposure to second-hand smoke, excessive alcohol consumption, and bar patronage all increasing the chance that one will contract meningitis from an infected individual.