Meningitis spreads through Princeton

Be ready to get your meningitis shot because there is an outbreak.

According to mayoclinic.com, meningitis is an inflammation around the membrane of the spinal cord and brain. This causes symptoms such as high fever, seizures, loss of consciousness, stiff neck, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and confusion.

According to nj.com, Princeton University has had an outbreak of meningitis on their campus. This infection has affected about eight students since March. The CDC, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FDA, Food and Drug Administration, are allowing a vaccine that has not been licensed in U.S., to prevent this strain of meningitis due to the severity of the outbreak. The departments have decided that it would be dangerous to not administer this vaccine.

“The problem with meningitis is that if the infection is left untreated, then it can become life-threatening to the person that has it, and also the vaccine does not protect against the B strain,” said Erin Keavney, RN student.

“I’m so glad that I got the shot when I did because last year they had a shortage of it,” said Emily Slaby, senior. “My friend almost lost her scholarship because she didn’t get the shot in time, because there was a shortage.”

According to nj.com, the B strain of meningitis accounts for roughly 160 cases nationwide annually, and 10 to 15 percent of the cases of the infection prove to be fatal. Also, according to the CDC, 15 percent of survives gain long-term disabilities, which include loss of limbs, deafness, nervous system problems, or brain damage.

The ways to determine if one has meningitis, is for the hospital to perform a series of tests. These tests include a blood culture, imaging, and a spinal tap. The blood culture is mainly used to test for bacterial meningitis; imaging is used to determine inflammation in the chest or sinuses cavity, and the spinal tap is used to extract spinal fluid which can show low sugar levels with increased blood cell count and protein count.
According to nj.com, Princeton University will be covering all the cost of the vaccinations and administrations.