Meningitis outbreaks on college campuses leave one dead, two hospitalized

By: Uyen Nguyen

Posted: 3/25/08

There have been recent outbreaks of bacterial meningitis on SUNY Oswego and Cornell University campuses, resulting in a death of one student and the hospitalization of two others.

A freshman at State University of New York at Oswego died on March 14 from meningococcal meningitis, also known as bacterial meningitis. Earlier this month, two Cornell University students were hospitalized after contracting the disease.

"It has been a big shock to everybody," said Julie Blissert, director of public affairs at SUNY Oswego. "It happened so fast."

Blissert has worked at SUNY Oswego for 25 years and has never seen a case of bacterial meningitis prior to this, she said. There have been a few cases of the viral type, but no deaths have occurred until this incident.

The university took many measures in order to make sure the disease did not spread, she said. They put out campus-wide announcements via e-mail, text messages and voicemail.

"More than 300 students were screened who may have been in contact with the victim," Blissert said. "And two-thirds were given a preventative antibiotic."

Bacterial meningitis does not spread through casual contact with someone who is infected - so one cannot simply get it from breathing the same air. Chances are, this was an isolated event, she said.

"It is contagious, but the way the disease works is odd," Blissert said. "It's not like the flu where it passes around easily."

Incoming SU freshmen will be required to fill out a form confirming the student and parents have received and reviewed information related to the meningococcal meningitis vaccine, according to the SU's Web site.

In the form, the students needs to indicate they have been immunized within the preceding 10 years or have opted not to obtain immunization against meningococcal meningitis.

They also need to provide proof of measles, mumps and rubella immunizations.

Meningitis can be viral or bacterial. Bacterial meningitis is the more severe form and can cause death.

Bacterial meningitis is caused by one of three bacteria; the most common is neisseria meningitidis, said Quoc Nguyen, medical director of the Onondaga County Health Department. The other two bacteria are streptococcus pneumoniae and haemophilus influenzae.

Neisseria meningitidis is the bacterium responsible for the cases at Cornell and SUNY Oswego, he said.

Each year, there are approximately 3,000 cases of neisseria meningitis and among them, about 10 percent of victims die, Nguyen said.

People most at risk are infants and elders, whose immune systems are not as strong, he said. Students living in dorms are also at a high risk. They are three times more at risk than students who don't live in dorms, he added.

"Anytime there are people being crowded together, there is a high risk," Nguyen said.

The bacteria can live harmlessly in a person's nose and mouth, he said. Approximately 10 to 50 percent of people carry it. One can be a carrier and not show symptoms.

When the immune systems are compromised, there is a threat, he said. Once immune defenses are overcome, the bacteria can invade the fluid surrounding the spinal cord and the brain, causing an outbreak of meningitis.

Santiago Grijalva, a first-year graduate student in business administration, said incoming freshmen are not aware enough of the threats of meningitis.

"A lot of them do whatever and are not paying much mind to it," he said.

unnguyen@syr.edu