Meningococcal disease is quite rare but can be life threatening.
Other possible causes for meningitis include other families of bacteria and some viruses. Overall, one research study concluded that 2 out of 100,000 students were at risk for meningococcal meningitis. Freshmen students living in residence halls had a slightly higher risk at 3 out of 100,000 students. As part of the adjustment process to college life, freshmen students have more frequent close contact with each other and often engage in activities which depress their immune system, and therefore less able to fight off the bacteria. Early symptoms usually associated with meningococcal meningitis include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, rash, nausea, vomiting and lethargy, and may resemble the flu.