Meningitis vaccination numbers have dropped more than 300 percent between 2002 and 2005 from 209 to 44.

Roughly 10 college students in the United States are killed every year by meningitis while others are left with permanent physical damage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site.

Despite the severity of the illness, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee vaccination numbers have dropped drastically in the past five years with no reported cases on campus.

Meningitis shares many of the same nondescript symptoms of the common cold or flu. But every year thousands of Americans discover that fever, fatigue, neck stiffness and nausea are also the symptoms of meningitis.

According to the CDC Web site, this potentially fatal illness could kill or cause long-term effects in roughly one-third of its 1,400 to 3,000 annual victims. Swelling of the brain, potentially leading to mental retardation, loss of hearing and increased chance of stroke and seizure are all possible results of the disease.

Vaccinations important for dorm residents

Despite serious consequences, Norris Health Center statistics show vaccine numbers dropped more than 300 percent between 2002 and 2005 from 209 to 44. So far for 2006, numbers are even lower with only 33 vaccines given out.

Though not required for residents of Sandburg Residence Hall, the meningitis vaccine (MCV4) is highly recommended by UWM health officials, especially for incoming freshmen.

According to Colleen Bernstein, a registered nurse responsible for Norris Health Center’s health education, first-year students usually have lower immune systems due to diet and sleep patterns, making them more susceptible to the illness.

Bernstein also said students living in dormitory-like situations often live in close quarters and share towels and other personal items, which gives them a higher risk of spreading the disease. Cigarette smoke, including secondhand, can also increase susceptibility, she said.

Students apathetic

Bernstein said she thinks the vaccine’s $86 price tag is a deterrent to many students not still on their parents’ insurance. Other possibilities could include student apathy, lack of education about the disease or the low rate of infection here at UWM.

Kristina Martirosyan, a freshman at UWM living in Sandburg Hall, said she hasn’t received the vaccine and knew nothing about the illness.

“I don’t even know what [meningitis] is,” Martirosyan said.

Steven Vasos, also a UWM student living in Sandburg Hall, said he hasn’t been vaccinated, but has heard about the disease. When asked what he knew about meningitis, Vasos said, “Uh … not a whole lot.”

The illness explained

Meningitis is, according to the CDC, a viral or bacterial infection of the fluid of the spinal cord and brain. Bernstein said this infection causes a swelling of the meninges, the tissue that lines the skull, putting pressure on the brain.

Because of its rapid progression, Bernstein said both early detection and treatment of infection are keys to survival.

In order to be diagnosed, patients must undergo a spinal tap to test spinal fluid.

Once diagnosed, antibiotics can effectively treat bacterial meningitis if started early enough. The patient still, however, has a 15 percent chance of death, even when treated properly.

The CDC says meningitis is less contagious than the flu, but can still easily be spread through saliva, making activities like kissing or sharing beverages dangerous for an infected individual.

While both viral and bacterial meningitis are life threatening, according to the CDC Web site, viral meningitis is less severe and can run its course without specific treatment. Bacterial meningitis is more severe, but can usually be prevented through inoculation. Ninety percent of those receiving the vaccine will be protected by it, according to CDC literature.

Bernstein said spreading meningitis, as with many contagious illnesses, could best be avoided by frequent hand washing and covering one’s mouth when coughing.

The vaccine

Bernstein said the vaccine, which lasts four to seven years, protects the body by stimulating the immune system and allowing it to recognize the disease. If meningitis is introduced into a vaccinated person, the immune system should react quicker to destroy infection.

“The vaccine is very effective in preventing the most common strains of bacterial meningitis that we see,” Bernstein said.

Rare but serious

While the illness is rare, the CDC Web site says recent trends show an increased frequency of outbreaks in the U.S. The elderly and infants are at the greatest risk from the illness due to their lower immune systems.

According to Beth Becker, privacy officer and patient support services manager at Norris Health Center, UWM hasn’t had a case of meningitis in the past five years. Bernstein said she didn’t think the school had ever had a diagnosed case, but the data was not available.

Bernstein said these rarities aren’t reasons to forgo getting vaccinated.

“You want to be vaccinated against this,” Bernstein said. “This is a bad, bad illness to have. Really, it is life-threatening, meningitis, you know most people succumb to it.”

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