Pace Paw Print

Media Credit: dogflu.ca Be aware of these meningitis warning signs

On October 8, 2007, Erin Ortiz, a freshman student at Bentley College died from meningitis. She was visiting her family in New Hampton, NY when she came down with flu-like symptoms. The first day she was home she complained of headaches and took an aspirin. The aspirin relieved her pain; but the headache returned the next night. At this point, the pain was unbearable and Ortiz was taken to Westchester Medical Center. At the hospital, Ortiz was pronounced dead from a meningitis infection.

Meningitis is an infection of the linings of the brain and spinal cord, which usually causes the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed. There are two types of meningitis: viral or bacterial. Bacterial meningitis is more severe of the two and is life threatening.

Individuals who are infected usually believe they are coming down with the flu. They have symptoms that appear as headaches, high fevers, a stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, confusion, and sleepiness. These symptoms usually develop within a few hours to one to two days. Within a few days the possibility of suffering from seizures increases. In many unfortunate situations death occurs within hours if not treated immediately; ten to twelve percent of people who are infected will die.

If infected with meningitis, early treatment is urgent in order to reduce the risk of death and other complications. If infected with bacterial meningitis, antibiotic treatment and hospitalization will most likely be required. Antibiotic treatment in the early stage of meningitis helps reduce the risk of death to below fifteen percent. Other treatment is administered depending on severity of infection and symptoms.

Viral meningitis is usually treated at home because it is less serious. Treatment usually includes bed rest, fluids, and medications to help alleviate pain and fever.

Meningitis can be acquired at any age. However, it is most commonly seen in those who live in close districts, for example, college dorms and boarding schools. Meningitis can be acquired through other illnesses including: ear infection, nasal infection, or a severe head trauma. Bacteria and viruses that infect the skin, urinary system, or respiratory tract can spread meningitis in the bloodstream to and around the brain and spinal cord. It can also be transmitted through nasal and throat secretions from coughing or kissing an infected person.

An important step in reducing your risk of becoming infected is to get vaccinated. The Center for Disease Control is recommending that children as young as eleven years old should be vaccinated for meningitis. There are two vaccines currently present in the US, meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4) and meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4). MPSV4 has been in existence since 1981, and MPV4 since 2005. Together, both vaccines prevent four types of meningococcal diseases. These four meningococcal diseases make up about 70 percent of all cases. This includes the three most prevalent types found in the US and one type that cause an epidemic in Africa.

Other ways to reduce your risk is maintaining good hygiene. Washing hands is important in preventing any infection. In addition, avoid drinking or eating off of friends. This is a great way to reduce the likeliness of transmission.

In addition to the meningitis shot, the legal documentation of two measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) shots is mandatory. The MMR shot is a live vaccine given as a single dose. It protects the body against the virus measles, mumps, and rubella. The shot is usually given after a child's first birthday and anytime within thirty days after the first shot. Those born prior to 1956 are considered immune to MMR as they most likely suffered from it at some point in their life.

Because of vaccinations, MMR is rarely seen in the US. Vaccinations are still given, however, because MMR is still an epidemic in some countries. Visitors could easily come to America and spread the virus. The virus is highly contagious and spread through air droplets. In other words, when people cough or sneeze, the virus is released into the air for someone to breathe in. Measles begins as a fever, followed by flu-like symptoms and pink eye. Soon after a rash appears on the face and neck and travels down the back. In some cases it reaches the arms, hands, legs, and feet. After about five days the rash and fever usually disappears. If complications develop, serious illness will arise. Six to twenty percent of people, who get the measles infection, will have pneumonia, ear infection, or severe diarrhea. More seriously, one out of 1,000 people will suffer from inflammation of the brain or die.

As with measles, mumps is contagious through air droplets. It is also contagious through direct contact, for example, drinking after someone who is infected. Mumps affects many parts of the body, particularly swelling of the parotid glands. The parotid glands are located within your cheek, near your jaw line, and below your ears. When the glands become swollen, it causes pain when you swallow, talk, chew, or drink acidic juices, such as orange juice or grape juice. Swelling in the parotid glands usually takes about one week to pass. Other symptoms that may appear include a fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and a loss of appetite. If severe, symptoms may cause death in some cases, swollen testicles or ovaries, deafness, or meningitis. Overall it takes about twelve days to fully recover from the virus.

Similarly, rubella is passed on through sneezing and coughing. Presenting symptoms include fever and rash. Rubella cannot be administered to pregnant women as it can cause serious birth defects to the unborn child that may lead to lifelong disabilities or death. Some illnesses caused include deafness, mental retardation, heart defects, and liver damage. If administered early in the pregnancy, there is a 20 percent chance of damage. Women are warned when administered the MMR shot to not get pregnant for at least 28 days for this reason.

Individuals should not receive the shot if they are allergic to gelatin, have a weak immune system, or may become pregnant. The shot should be delayed if the individual is sick with more than just a cold or had a transfusion. Timing is necessary when administering MMR.

After receiving the MMR shot, temporary symptoms may develop. The most common symptom is feeling soreness or redness at the site of injection. In addition, fever, joint pain and stiffness, swelling and tenderness of the glands may develop. If a rash does develop, it will go away within several days.

Based on NY state law, all students attending school in NY must provide documentation of one meningitis shot if you decide to live on campus and two MMR shots whether you dorm or commute. The seriousness of these diseases if infected can be life threatening. As a result, Pace University has set a deadline for all college students to provide documentation of immunization; the deadline has been set for October 31, 2007. If documentation is not provided, registration for the Fall 2007 semester will be dropped until further notice. Being immunized can help save your life from these deadly diseases that can be spread on college campuses.

Article Tools