Colleges and Universities should provide information about meningicoccal disease and vaccination to freshmen, especially those planning on living in dormitories or residence halls. Public Health Agencies will serve as a resource regarding meningicoccal disease and vaccination for providers and colleges., including providing information on how to obtain vaccine. Discuss this issue with your primary care provider. Signs and Symptoms Fever Severe headache Stiff neck Vomitting Changes in consciousness progress through irritability, confusion, drowsiness, stupor, and coma. Diagnosis and Treatment Patients who receive prompt treatment for bacterial meningitis usually recover.
Diagnosis is made through a lumbar puncture and examination of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Treatment requires large doses of antibiotics. Prevention Vaccination may be valuable in controlling an epidemic. This has achieved limited success as the vaccine is effective against only some of the organisms responsible for bacterial meningitis. It is used mainly in epidemic areas and closed populations where epidemic spread is feared. With the exception of the cost, there is no good reason not to immunize college freshmen living in dormitories or residence halls with the meningitis vaccine.