Robert Cranny, director of the Wardenburg Health Service at the University of Colorado at Boulder, wants all CU-Boulder students who live in residence halls to get vaccinated for meningitis at a special daylong campus clinic on Nov. 7.
Cranny's recommendation is in line with many health officials who support the shots for college-age adults, especially those who live in residence halls.
"The American College Health Association recommends that all people living in residence halls should consider getting the vaccine," Cranny said. The reason is that people living in close quarters seem to be more likely to contract meningococcal meningitis, often called bacterial meningitis, which can be fatal.
CU-Boulder students can be immunized at the Nov. 7 clinic between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the CU-Boulder Recreation Center. Cost of the meningitis vaccine is $85 and the flu vaccine is $15. The American College Health Association also recommends college students consider getting the flu vaccine "to avoid disruption of academic activities."
CU-Boulder students also can get both vaccines at Wardenburg, year-round, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
"Studies have shown that when cultures are taken from the nasal passages during outbreaks, a high percentage of students tested are carrying the meningococcal bacteria," said Dr. Thomas Kunstman, lead physician at Wardenburg. "But in most cases, their immune systems are strong enough that their bodies are able to ward it off."
One significant risk factor for contracting meningitis is a compromised immune system.
"Lack of sleep, poor eating habits, high stress and excessive use of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs -- anything that compromises the body's immune system -- will make people more susceptible to illness," Kunstman said.
Besides getting the vaccine, the best thing that students can do to avoid the disease is to wash their hands regularly, get at least six to eight hours of sleep a night, practice good nutrition and drink lots of fluids, preferably water. Following that advice will lower a person's risk for meningitis and also for other illnesses.
Wardenburg Health Service is advertising the Nov. 7 clinic through 300 posters that have been distributed around campus and in student e-memos to all CU-Boulder students. Parents of all CU-Boulder freshmen also have received a letter asking them to "encourage your son or daughter to get immunized."
Since 1998 three CU-Boulder students have contracted meningitis and all have recovered. In a fourth case, in 1997, a 19-year-old CU-Boulder student who lived in a campus residence hall died of the disease. The most recent case was in February 2002.
An estimated 100 to 125 college students contract meningococcal disease annually and from five to 15 college-age students die each year from meningitis.
Meningococcal disease, an inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord, is rare but potentially fatal. Symptoms of meningococcal disease include fever, severe sudden headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, rash and lethargy.
Over the past two years, about 3,000 CU-Boulder students have been vaccinated for meningitis either at Wardenburg or at special clinics at the Recreation Center. For more information on meningococcal disease check the CU Web site at . For more information on the Nov. 7 clinic sponsored by Wardenburg go to .