Bacterial Meningitis

[librasoul22]

Just a PSA...

This is an exerpt from FSU:

Bacterial Meningitis - Young adults between the ages of 17-24 are at increased risk of developing a severe form of bacterial meningitis called meningococcal meningitis. The American College Health Association and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that students consider getting the Menomune vaccine.

This bacterial infection, although rare, may cause severe neurologic impairment, partial extremity amputations or even death (10-13% mortality rate). Freshman living in dormitories, bar patronage, and exposure to alcohol and cigarette smoke further increase the risk of infection within this age group. The incidence in young adults is 1 case per 100,000. For freshman living in dormitories it is 3.8 per 100,000.

There are 5 different subtypes (called Serogroups) of the bacterium that causes meningococcal meningitis (Serogroups A, B, C, Y and W-135). The current vaccine does not stimulate protective antibodies to Serogroup B, but does against the remaining 4 types. In the past, Serogroup B caused about 50% of the cases of meningococcal meningitis in the U.S. but more recently, it has decreased to about 27% or less, making
vaccination more protective. The vaccine lasts 3-5 years or longer and is extremely safe. It has been used in the military and among foreign travelers for over 20 years with excellent safety.

Do y'all know anybody who has had this virus? Has anyone on here had it? I have had some experience with it, lol.

[swissmiss04]

Just to add...if you are prone to sinus infections you especially need to get them. Think how close your sinuses are to your brain...kinda scary!!!!!

[sugar and spice]

I believe this announcement probably comes in the wake of the death of a University of Minnesota student from the disease.

http://www.mndaily.com/article.php?id=5389

She was a Gamma Phi Beta. I attended the U of M last year and while I did not know her, we had mutual friends. Everybody thought they'd caught the disease early enough that she would pull through, but unfortunately she didn't.

I was going to post here and remind y'all to watch out for this, so I'm glad you brought it up -- it can get dangerous really quickly, and those living in dorms or Greek housing are obviously at increased risk . . . don't let this happen to someone from your chapter!

[DigitalAngel126]

One of my sisters got it, but it was caught early and luckily she's fine... Same with one of my KD friends....Scary!

[chideltjen]

there is a vaccine for that isn't there? i think i got it my freshman year. Anyone know how long they last?

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I saw a report on Mennengiococcal meningitis. I have no idea how to spell it. It was so scary. This poor college aged woman had to have both of her arms and legs amputated in order to stop the disease from spreading and killing her. It was so sad. She was on 20/20 or 60 minutes telling all students to get the vaccination.

[Hootie]

What are the signs? Are there any?

[AngelPhiSig]

one main sign is a stiff neck, so bad that it hurts when you touch your chin to your chest.

A boy from a highschool near my home died from this.

I think any student in the dorms in PA schools had to get the vaccene for this year

[EagleChick19]

Originally posted by AngelPhiSig
one main sign is a stiff neck, so bad that it hurts when you touch your chin to your chest.

A boy from a highschool near my home died from this.

I think any student in the dorms in PA schools had to get the vaccene for this year

In PA, its a state law that any student living in dorms (college housing) MUST get the meningitis vaccine before going on campus.

[MoxieGrrl]

The thing with the vaccine is that it doesn't protect against most of the strains that cause the deadly meningitis. That scares the s@*t outta me!

[librasoul22]

Originally posted by Hootie
What are the signs? Are there any?

The signs are vomiting, nausea, fever, stiff neck, disorientation/ confusion, and diarrhea. Sometimes a rash may appear on parts of the body.

I actually contracted this virus myself New Year's in Miami. Not fun. I ran the gamut of all the typical symptoms ad stuff. They had to keep me in the hospital down there for 14 days to administer the antibiotics.

It escalates pretty rapidly. So if you throw up a few times and feel bad, I wouldn't worry much. You will KNOW if something is seriously wrong. It took about 12 hours for me to really realize that this was not a hangover or a bad flu.

[TigerGirl52]

Been There, Done That. Had it at 18 months. Supposedly it's pretty fatal to people that age. Guess I'm just lucky. I obviously don't remember having it but my parents told me that I went to bed completely healthy one night and woke up in the middle of the night with an insanely high fever and I was having convulsions and seizures. I think I spent well over 2 weeks in the hospital and had to re-learn how to walk. Back when I started college my mom got worried that I may be exposed to it again living in the dorms but my doctor told me that once you've had you RARELY ever get it again.

[gphiangel624]

I've also been exposed to meningitis, but not sure if it's the same type; I had spinal meningitis at 8 months old and doctors told my parents that, in the slim chance that I didn't die, I would be blind, deaf, or mentally retarded for the rest of my life. Fortunately, we discovered that I have an extremely diminished sense of smell (takes a while to realize when your kid can't smell- we didn't find out until I was about 14). So I guess I was extremely lucky.

Tigergirl52, my symptoms were similar. My mom tells me that I was fine one minute, then seizing the next. My fever was through the roof but my body was extremely cold, so my mom remembers laying me in a sunny spot on the floor of the living room to warm me up. I spent 16 days in the intensive care unit, unconscious for about 5 of them. My mom said that they did 8 spinal taps on me during that time and I didn't cry or fidget at all for the first 6, and those things hurt like hell!

What's sad is that when a young child has problems like that, they shave your head, the IV goes in the top of your head instead of arms (babies pull them out with their teeth), and they tie the baby's arms down so that they can't reach their face or head, all the while keeping the child in complete isolation. It's really disturbing and my dad to this day will not discuss when I was sick, because it still tears him up.

I was also under the impression that if you've had meningitis before, it's rare to contract it again. It's a scary disease and I urge everyone to be educated about it and be vaccinated. Even if the vaccine doesn't stop all forms of it, DO IT ANYWAY! It's just like drunk driving- you don't want to take the risk.

[swissmiss04]

That's so horrible. Gphi and Tigergirl you're both so lucky! I had no idea meningitis was this common. And seeing how it spreads more so in dorms and other collegiate housing, you'd think there would be much more said about it. We get the usual e-mail around September urging us to get a shot. But it's $75 and not everyone has that (or insurance). There should be some sort of initiative to fund meningitis shots for students (hey watch me go on my public health soapbox...see the parenting thread for more laughs).

[Optimist Prime]

OH NO!!!!!!! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!