Position Statement on Meningitis Vaccine

There has been considerable news recently about college students receiving the meningitis vaccine. While some colleges have decided to require that their students receive this vaccine, at the present time Messiah College has not taken this position. We do, however, want students and their parents to be aware of this disease and to decide for themselves whether or not to be vaccinated. Since it appears that first-year students living in dormitories are statistically more prone to the relatively rare occurrence of bacterial meningitis, new students should discuss this disease with their healthcare providers and decide whether to be vaccinated before enrolling in college. Currently, state law requires that first-year students either show proof of vaccination or sign a wavier before living in the College dorms. Should a student decide to have the vaccine after enrollment, the Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services is willing to order and give the vaccine for our cost.

 

The following are the facts, as we understand them:

1) Meningitis is caused by various organisms, including a bacterium called Neisseria meningitis.
Meningitis is an illness leading to inflammation of the lining of the brain. Viruses cause most cases of this illness, especially in people of the age group found on a college campus. However, one of the most severe forms of meningitis is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria meningitis. This form of the disease is also called meningococcal meningitis. Five to ten percent of the population can carry this bacterium for months in their noses and throats and never have any problem. Less than 1% of those who come into contact with this bacterium (through kissing, shared eating utensils, possibly respiratory droplets, etc.) actually develop infection from it. The bacteria do not live long outside the body, so it is not transmitted through routine contact in classrooms, swimming pools, etc.

 

2) There are two vaccines now available to prevent meningococcal meningitis, but neither of them is perfect.
Menactra, released January 2005, is a vaccine that is about 97% effective against the A, C, Y, and W strains, costs about $100 per dose and provides immunity for about ten years. There is an older vaccine Menomune which provides only 90% immunity against the same strains, and for only three years. Messiah will still accept vaccination with either vaccine.

 

3) Meningococcal meningitis is not common, but can be deadly.
The incidence of this form of meningitis is quite rare. We have not had a student at Messiah College contract it in recent history. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 1 out of every 100,000 people may get it per year. It appears from recent studies that those most susceptible to contracting it are first-year college students living in a dormitory, where as many as 3.8 per 100,000 may contract it. Interestingly, it has also been shown that smoking and alcohol use increase one’s chances of developing this kind of meningitis.

 

This kind of meningitis is difficult to diagnose in early stages, and, in about 10% of cases, can progress rapidly to death in a few days if not treated early with appropriate antibiotics. Obviously, in such a rapidly progressive illness, it is preferable to prevent the disease rather than trying to treat it once it starts.

 

4) Experts on the vaccine have recommended that vaccinations be required for all first-year college students living in dorms.

The CDC and the American Committee for Immunizations Practices (ACIP) made this recommendation in a CDC document released on May 27, 2005. This committee of experts from throughout the country had recommended that the Menactra vaccine be given to all college students. The American College Health Association (ACHA), which had representation on this committee, decided to follow this recommendation and recommended that all college students consider getting the vaccine.

 

The state of Pennsylvania mandates that those who provide medical care at colleges give information to students and their parents about the disease and the benefits of the vaccine. This will allow individuals to decide whether or not to receive the vaccination. The College is following these recommendations by publicizing to current students the availability of the vaccines. All incoming first-year students will be receiving the information about this vaccine in a mailing prior to starting college and according to state law must be vaccinated or sign a waiver to live in Messiah College dorms. The Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services will administer either Menomune or Menactra depending on student preference. Pennsylvania is one of 31 states with mandated reporting and one of 10 states that require the vaccine or a signed waiver prior to living in a dorm.

 

Please feel free to contact The Engle Center at ext. 6035 or 717-691-6035 from off campus if you have any further questions about this vaccine.

 

Darryl Guistwite, DO
College Physician
February 18, 2008

The following websites provide information that you may also find helpful:

American College Health Association
http://www.acha.org/projects_programs/meningitis/disease_info.cfm#overview

CDC Report on Meningococcal Disease Among College Students

http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/faq.html