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"At the end of last semester, both Princeton and the University of California, Santa Barbara were hit with alarming and very serious cases of meningitis. There were eight reported infections at Princeton and four at UCSB, including one that led to a lacrosse player having both his feet amputated. So yes, meningitis is totally scary and can have devastating consequences, but it can also be treated and prevented. You just need to know what to look out for, so here's your life-saving primer.\n\nFirst off, what is meningitis?\n\n \"Meningitis is an inflammation of the coverings around the brain and the spinal cord, called the meninges,\" explains Dr. Melissa Stockwell of New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. \"It's most often caused by an infection.\"\n\nThere are two types of meningitis, the most common and less severe of which is viral. There's no specific treatment for viral meningitis, and it usually resolves itself in a week or two. The less common but more severe kind is bacterial, which is what caused the outbreaks at Princeton and UCSB\u2014this is what you need to be on the lookout for. And FYI, these recent cases were caused by a specifically dangerous strain known as B bacterial meningitis.\n\nWhy is it so prevalent at colleges?\n\n Well, dorm life for one. Meningitis is contagious and easily spread among students who live in close quarters. Sharing cups and utensils or transferring \"respiratory secretions\" to each other via coughing, sneezing, and kissing are ways the infection is passed. Heavy drinkers are particularly susceptible, since consuming alcohol can suppress the immune system.\n\nWhat are the symptoms to look out for?\n\n \"In teenagers and young adults, the most common symptoms include fever, headache, and a stiff and painful neck when trying to touch your chin to your chest,\" Dr. Stockwell says. \"Other symptoms are vomiting, sensitivity to light, sleepiness, and confusion. Some people get seizures or a purplish rash.\" As CNN points out, spotting an onset can be tricky since symptoms are similar to the flu. This is why you need to be extra vigilant and look out for the students around you, too. Friends of Aaron Loy, the UCSB lacrosse player, took him to the emergency room immediately after noticing possible meningitis symptoms.\n\nWhat happens to people who catch bacterial meningitis?\n\n According to the New York Times, \"bacterial meningitis is fatal in about 11 percent of cases, and among survivors, about one in five has severe consequences like amputations or brain damage.\" Dr. Stockwell adds that hearing loss and kidney problems can also result.\n\nIs it treatable?\n\n Yes, thanks to antibiotics! But in order for the meds to work, bacterial meningitis must be treated immediately. This is just another reason to get yourself to a hospital when you suspect you might be infected. As Dr. Stockwell also points out, \"Antibiotics may be recommended for close contacts of people with certain kinds of meningitis.\" So if you've been exposed\u2014even if you don't have symptoms\u2014see your doctor ASAP.\n\nHow can you prevent meningitis?\n\n By getting a shot. \"It's absolutely essential that college students be vaccinated,\" Dr. Stockwell emphasizes. \"In fact, the meningitis vaccine is recommended for all adolescents, with one dose at age 11 or 12 and a booster at 16. Catch-up vaccination is recommended for teens who aren't vaccinated when they're younger.\" As a matter of fact, the majority of colleges in the States require that incoming students living in dorms be vaccinated before starting school.\n\nIt's important to note that the vaccines currently administered in the U.S. protect against four strains of bacteria that cause meningitis, but not all of them. The vaccine to prevent strain B bacterial meningitis\u2014the cause of the infections at UCSB and Princeton\u2014is currently in the approval process. However, in light of the seriousness of the outbreak, the FDA gave special permission for students at UCSB to be immunized with the vaccine.\n\nIs there anything else you can do to stay safe?\n\n \"Healthy habits that prevent infection are also important. This includes not smoking and avoiding cigarette smoke, making sure to get enough sleep, not sharing glasses, washing your hands, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick,\" Dr. Stockwell says. \"However, all this is not a replacement for vaccination.\""^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.teenvogue.com/story/meningitis>