Have you ever experienced a high fever, severe headache, nausea or extreme tiredness? These symptoms sound like the flu, but they could be early signs of the potentially fatal meningococcal disease, commonly called meningitis.
Increasing concern about the spread of meningitis on college campuses prompted the Virginia House of Delegates to unanimously pass a bill addressing the issue Feb. 5. The bill must pass the Senate before it becomes law.
House Bill 2762, sponsored by Del. L. Preston Bryant Jr. (R-Lynchburg), would require all students enrolling in public, four-year institutions of higher education to be immunized against the disease.
"There have been a number of [recent] outbreaks ... the most notable being Radford, Virginia Tech and the University of Richmond," Bryant said.
According to the American College Health Association, there are about 100 to 125 cases of meningitis annually on college campuses nationwide, resulting in five to 15 deaths per year.
Among freshmen living in residence halls, there is a six-fold increase in occurrence of the disease, Student Health Director James C. Turner said. First years are more at risk because of cramped living arrangements, tiredness and alcohol use.
But Turner does not fully support Bryant's bill.
"I think the legislation is too broad," Turner said. "There is no evidence that [meningitis] occurs more frequently in older undergraduates or graduate students."
Despite the bill's language, its sponsor said some students could opt not to receive the vaccination.
"This immunization is strongly encouraged, but it's not mandatory," Bryant said. "A student can opt out for any reason or no reason at all."
According to the ACHA, meningococcal bacteria can cause severe inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Thirteen to 15 percent of cases result in death and another 20 percent in permanent damage, Turner said.
The vaccine guards against four of the five strains of meningitis bacteria, Bryant said. One shot protects against the disease for about four years and costs from $75 to $90, he said.
There were five cases of meningitis at the University in the mid-1990s, and the cases prompted officials to distribute information about the disease to students and to recommend vaccination, Turner said. About 6,000 University students have received the vaccine over the last three years.
The University has not had another case since 1997, he added.
"It is my notion that the bill will pass the Senate with ... ease," Bryant said. "Virginia's colleges and universities ... have been widely consulted. They do not oppose the legislation."
The bill may be considered by the full Senate as early as Friday or next Monday, said Kristi Hashberger, Legislative Assistant to Bryant.
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