Approaching winter brings rising threat of meningitis

As winter nears, experts say cases of meningitis will increase and people should be aware of the infection and its preventative methods.

There are two main types of meningitis, said Linda Smith, associate director of the University Health Center.

According to a handout from the Health Center, a person may contract either viral or bacterial meningitis, the latter being more severe, which "may result in brain damage, hearing loss or learning disability."

Both types are an infection of a person's spinal cord fluid as well as the fluid that surrounds the brain, according to the brochure.

Additionally, according to Smith, the two types are associated with the same symptoms, most commonly including high fever, severe headache and stiff neck.

"It can start out as mimicking flu symptoms [but] the difference is that the headache is not subtle [and the symptoms] increase pretty rapidly," Smith said. Symptoms usually appear within a few days after exposure to the virus or bacteria, she said.

People are "encouraged to seek medical assistance immediately if they feel these symptoms," she said. "Early recognition of the infection is crucial and prompt treatment is important."

Furthermore, Smith said that even if a person has sought medical help, if their symptoms worsen, they should return to the doctor.

Each person's progress after diagnosis varies greatly, according to Smith. "[It] depends on the type [of meningitis], the time it was caught, the type of treatment that was administered and the time it was administered," she said.

The handout from the Health Center said antibiotics usually are effective in treating the infection, but early detection plays a vital role in the effectiveness of the treatment. Viral meningitis is normally not serious and usually resolves without specific treatment, it stated.

According to The Center for Disease Control's Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases Web site, www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd, a spinal tap is the main way to determine if a person has meningitis. A doctor performs the procedure by inserting a needle into the person's lower back where the spinal fluid can be readily obtained and assessed.

Smith said of all college students, freshmen are most at risk of meningitis and are therefore required by JMU to receive the vaccine, which typically lasts about three years.

Freshmen are more likely to contract meningitis because "[of] their lack of sleep, their immune systems are more fragile and [they live in a] close communal setting," she said.

In order for people to help guard themselves against both types of meningitis, Smith said they should wash their hands often, and drinks, cigarettes and utensils should not be shared as the infection is spread via respiratory and throat secretions. It also can be passed through kissing or being directly coughed or sneezed on by a person with meningitis.

The Health Center handout said the virus and bacteria "do not survive more than few minutes on environmental surfaces, [such as] tables, chairs and clothing."

According to Smith, the Health Center will "administer oral antibiotics to students who have come in direct contact with a person with meningitis."

Additionally, Smith said the vaccine for meningitis is available at the Health Center for $70. Unlike other medical facilities, she said that since the Health Center is non-profit, the vaccine is available for the same cost that the Health Center pays for it.

Although the vaccine is not 100 percent effective, the Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases Web site stated, "The vaccines are very safe and highly effective."

Smith said, "The Health Center has a real good relationship with the hospital … so there's a rapid and direct communication if a student is suspected of meningitis."