Personal Injury Law

School Safety: Meningitis in and at College

By Megan Roth

As everyone knows, schools (regardless of the type), can pose many threats when it comes to personal health. Students work in close quarters and regularly come in contact with germs. There are all sorts of guidelines and recommendations in order to prevent the spread of illness; however, not all illnesses can be warded off with a simple antibacterial hand wipe.

College students in particular are at risk for contracting Meningitis (a bacterial infection that occurs in various strains, some more dangerous than others) for a number of reasons, primarily because of crowded living quarters and classrooms. In fact, these close working conditions lead to the approximately 125 cases of meningitis that occur on college campuses every year.

The majority of these students are receptive to treatment and medication; however, five to fifteen unfortunate students die from the disease every year. Of those who survive the illness, approximately 11-19% suffer extreme permanent effects (such as losing a limb, becoming deaf, experiencing nerve problems and seizures, among other ailments). Evidence has shown that approximately 75% of cases that occur amongst college students are caused by a vaccine-preventable strain of the virus. That's most, not all. Like any other vaccine, the treatment is not guaranteed to be 100% effective; in fact, it's a well-known fact that the meningitis vaccine protects against four of the five strains of the disease (no vaccine is available for one of the strains, so-called Serogroup B).

The American College Health Association (along with many other doctors and research professionals) recommends that all college students receive the vaccine around age 11, when increased adolescent contact begins to occur, thus increasing a student's risk of contracting the disease.

Similarly, first-year college students experience an increased risk (not only because of close quarters, but also because their immune systems are weakened due to lifestyle factors, such as irregular sleep patterns, active or passive smoking, sharing personal items, etc).

Students who contract meningococcal diseases experience symptoms almost immediately, as the disease is highly contagious and progresses rapidly. The bacteria is spread person-to-person through the air by respiratory droplets, but also occurs through direct contact with an infected individual.

Students who encounter the illness often experience flu-like symptoms (25% experience symptoms within 24 hours, the remainder begin experiencing them within one to seven days). Symptoms may vary, but often they involve headaches, fever, and fatigue (among others).

Individuals who experience such symptoms should seek medical care immediately. Meningitis isn't one of those illnesses that can be easily overcome; it requires treatment - fast. Students who put off seeking treatment may experience long-term side effects and permanent disabilities (in the worst cases, even death).

Meningitis is a scary disease, but it's one that can often be prevented. It's not just important that students receive the vaccination for this disease - it's necessary. Not only for their own, personal sake, but also for the sake of all other students.

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on September 20, 2008 (boomark / email).