ACIP further recommends that immunization should be provided or made easily available to those who wish to reduce their risk for meningococcal disease. Other undergraduate students wishing to reduce their risk for meningococcal disease can also choose to be vaccinated. The new ACIP recommendation further states that colleges and universities should also provide information about meningococcal disease and the vaccine to freshmen, particularly those who plan to live in dormitories or residence halls. The recommendation further encourages public health agencies to serve as a resource for information about meningococcal disease and vaccination, including how to obtain the vaccine. Meningococcal disease, an extremely devastating disease with potentially fatal consequences, has occurred with increasing frequency in recent years among teenagers and young adults.
Recent evidence demonstrates that certain college students are at increased risk for the disease.
An estimated 100 to 125 cases of meningococcal disease occur annually among college students and 5 to 15 students die as a result. The disease strikes about 3,000 Americans each year. The majority of cases in the college age group are preventable with the meningococcal disease vaccine currently available in the U.S. Meningococcal disease, caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, can result in hearing loss, kidney failure, amputation of the limbs and permanent brain injury. In the event of meningococcal disease, antibiotics can be effective, but treatment must begin immediately. The disease progresses rapidly, often in as little as 12 hours.