Continued surveillance is necessary to evaluate the impact of these recommendations, which have already prompted many universities and clinicians to offer vaccine to college freshmen. Keep in mind, too, that the living arrangements vary considerably on the University of Florida campus. We are providing the information below in an effort to help students and their parents better understand meningitis and the relative advisability of seeking immunization. Meningitis is a rare but potentially dangerous illness which can be caused by either viruses or bacteria . It can lead to dangerous swelling of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Patients typically recover with minimal treatment.
If caught early, meningitis is usually curable. Prevention of some bacterial types of meningitis is possible through vaccination. Unfortunately, the protection is limited to strains A, C, Y, and W-135. The type of meningitis which has occurred in this part of northcentral Florida in recent years has tended to be caused by serogroup B which is not prevented by the vaccine. Exposure is most likely to occur through intimate contact such as kissing, sharing beverage containers, cigarettes or eating utensils, and being exposed to droplet contamination from the nose or throat of a person with meningococcal disease.