Campus Chronicle

Issue date: 1/22/07 Section: News

Image of the human brain

Every year around this time millions of college students move into dormitories, much like the ones on Alcorn's Campus. What most fail to realize is that dorms can be unhealthy if residents are not careful.
A diease known as meningitis affects thousands of college students every year. Mrs. Betty Johnson, nurse at the Alcorn State University infirmary, says that freshmen are 3-5 times more likely to contract meningitis than other 18-23 year olds due to their introduction into the dormitory environment.
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain, it is often referred to as spinal meningitis and is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Meningitis is easily spread by respiratory secretions (coughing, kissing, etc). And unlike other infections it can be deadly.
Initial symptoms of the infection include flu-like symptoms such as a stiff neck, headache, and high fever. This is where the real trouble begins.
Most people treat the symptoms as they would a flu, they take some medicine and go to bed. They try to sleep
it off. This allows the infection ample lime to incubate and manifest itself into something that can cause permanent damage - even death. These symptoms can develop over several hours or they may take 1 to 2 days.
Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort, sensitivity to lights, confusion, and sleepiness.
College students who live in group housing are six times more likely to become infected with meningitis than the average person. Approximately 3,000 cases of bacterial meningitis occurred in the U.S in 2000.
This may not seem like a huge problem, but the fact is the statistics are rising-almost doubling-yearly. 10-13% of patients die despite receiving antibiotics early in the illness. Of those who survive, an additional 10% have severe after-effects of the disease, including retardation, hearing loss, and loss of limbs.
College students are strongly urged to get vaccinated for the meningoeoccal disease, some colleges even require it. Mrs. Edna Smith, also a nurse at Alcom's Felix H. Dunn Infirmary, says that the students who are most highly at risk are:

> Freshmen
> People who have recently moved into dormitories
> Smokers or those in contact with smokers
> People with respiratory illnesses
> People who kiss or share drinks with others

Many universities now offer the vaccination cost-free. Nurse Johnson also adds that Alcom State University students can be vaccinated for meningitis locally at the Claibome County Health Department in Port Gibson. Early diagnosis and treatment are important.
Diagnosis is made by what is called a spinal tap, where a sample of spinal fluid is obtained by inserting a needle into an area in the lower back. It can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics if diagnosis is made early on- Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of death to below 15%. Vaccinations are safe and highly effective.

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