Hepatitis B and Meningitis Information
January 12, 2006
To: All students
From: Health Services (Michelle Johnson and Pam Tietz) and the Dean of Student's office
Subject: Hepatitis B and Meningitis. Learn the Facts. Get Vaccinated.
The following is information on two vaccine preventable diseases that college students are at high risk for. We hope you will take the time to read this information and also share it with your parents.
St. Olaf College wants you to know the facts about two diseases that affect college students (Hepatitis B and Meningitis) and the vaccinations that can reduce your risk.
What do sex, tattoos, body piercings, toothbrushes, and contact sports have in common? They can all put you at risk for Hepatitis B, a serious infectious disease that can lead to chronic, even life-threatening disease. There is no cure, but there is a safe and effective vaccine to protect you against Hepatitis B, and health officials recommend that all college students get vaccinated.
College students may be at increased risk for infection with Hepatitis B. The virus is spread when an individual comes in contact with blood or other body fluids of an infected person through broken skin or mucous membranes. The highest rate of disease occurs in those 20 to 49 years of age. Crowded living situations; unprotected sex, body piercings and tattoos; sharing needles, razors, toothbrushes, and earrings; and travel abroad to high-risk areas can increase the risk for college students. Information and vaccination are your best defense.
Meningitis. On October 20, 1999, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend that college students, particularly freshmen living in dormitories and residence halls, be educated about Meningitis and the benefits of vaccination. The panel based its recommendation on recent studies showing that college students, particularly freshmen living in dormitories, have a six fold increased risk for Meningitis. The recommendation further states that information about the disease and vaccination is appropriate for other undergraduate students who also wish to reduce their risk for the disease.
How is Meningitis transmitted? Meningococcal bacteria are transmitted through air droplets and direct contact with persons already infected with the disease. Direct contact also occurs with shared items, such as cigarettes or drinking glasses, or through intimate contact such as kissing.
Cases of Meningitis among teens and young adults 15 to 25 years of age (the age of most college students) have more than doubled since 1991. The disease strikes about 3,000 Americans each year and claims about 300 lives. Between 100 and 125 Meningitis cases occur on college campuses and as many as 15 students will die from the disease.
A vaccine is available that protects against four types of the bacteria that cause Meningitis in the United States---types A,C,Y and W-135. These types account for nearly two thirds of Meningitis cases among college students.
The St. Olaf Health Service offers both the Hepatitis B vaccine and the Meningitis vaccine (Menomune or Menactra). The Hepatitis B vaccine is a series of three injections and offers lifetime protection. The Meningitis vaccine is one injection that protects you for up to 8 years.
We encourage students who have not received these vaccines to consider getting them. More information is available at the St. Olaf Health Service.
There are two other forms of Hepatitis that you should be aware of. Hepatitis A is a virus that is spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. This form of Hepatitis usually causes a mild illness and is rarely fatal. A vaccine is available for Hepatitis A and is recommended for students traveling on some abroad programs. This vaccine is also available in the Health Service.
Hepatitis C is another form of hepatitis and is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person, such as from a transfusion or organ transplant. You may be at risk for Hepatitis C if you ever used injected street drugs, received a blood transfusion before July 1992, or your mother had hepatitis C when she gave birth to you. You possibly could be at risk if you had unprotected sex with an infected individual. There presently is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C. Avoiding the above risk factors is the only sure prevention.
