Meningitis a Rising Threat to College Students Life on Campus Can Increase Risk of Illness, Recent Studies Reveal
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Lady ‘Hounds . Israel returns to soccer knock off studying. St. Joe’s. UNIVERSITYOF INDIANAPOLIS See Page 3. 1400 EASTHANNA AVENUE INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46227 See Page 5. STUDENT HEALTH THREAT Meningitis a rising threat to college students Life on campus can increase risk of illness, recent studies reveal ~~~~~~~~~ Eve Murray coming students. nia unaware of any risks. News Editor According to a report “I could stay out till by ABC’s “20/20” on a two o’clock in the morn- Cases of meningitis are study done by medical in- ing, walk home at night on the rise for people be- vestigators at the Johns from parties, and drink tween the ages of 5 and 24, Hopkins School of Public and party,” said Benn. “I making it a threat to many Health, students who live didn’tgetthatmuchsleep, college students, accord- on campus are three times but it was fun.” ing to a recent study by the more likely to develop But only three months Centers of Disease Con- meningitis than those who after all the parties and trol and Prevention do not live on campus. final exams, Berm was be- (CDC), Because this ill- The increased risk is at- ginning to show signs of ness is so fatigue. contagious, “I had a those living headache,” in close “Bacterial meningitis can advance very said Benn. quarters, quickly. The worst kind is meningococcal “And I felt suchascol- meningitis, which goes into the like I had the flu.” lege dams, bloodstream.” - are espe- Benn cially vul- -Lynn Moran also devel- nerable. oped what With the appeared live. The diagnosis was “Bacterial meningitis current overcrowding of tributed to overcrowded to be small bruises and meningococcal meningitis. can advance very quickly,” the University of India- dorms and apartments as became increasingly ill, Meningitis is an infec- said Lynn Moran, a nurse napolis campus, the threat well as alcohol and ciga- according to the “20/20” tion of the spinal fluid that at the U of I Student Health of this illness has become rette use, which weakens report. is caused by virus or bacte- Center. a concern to health offi- the immune system. Alarmed, her mother ria. Common symptoms in- “The worst kind is men- cials. According to the “20/ called the hospital and clude high fever, headache, ingococcal meningitis, Colleges and universi- 20” report, Melanie Benn was told to bring her stiff neck and sensitivity to which goes into the blood- ties nationwide may make began her freshman year . daughter in immediately. light. Symptoms are the stream,” said Moran. .._-- the vaccination for this ill- at Humbolt State Univer- Theroctorsgave Benn same for both viral and bac- ness a requirement for in- sity in Northern Califor- a 50 percent chance to terial infections. HEALTH cont. on D. 4 ~~~ WORLDNEWS c U of I-Athens stands ground in recent quake ~~ ~ Meagan Godfrey experience such as’an earth- But as days went by, the The Athens government said Koutsoutis. “It was my Staff Writer quake not affect you,” said crews’ only task was to find issued subpoenas to those responsibility to do a walk- Chris Koutsoutis,vicepresi- the bodies of victims. They civil engineers who built the through of the building,” The University of In- dent for University Opera- needed to find them before quake-shattered structures, “Only some paint and dianapolis-Athens cam- tions at U of I-Athens. the bulldozers and heavy questioning whether short- plaster (were damaged),” pus escaped unharmed Volunteer crews worked equipment came in to clear cuts wereusedtoget around said Koutsoutis. “Both from the recent earth- around the clock searching debris. anti-quake regulations. buildings suffered only mi- quake which rocked Ath- for victims stranded under Ironically, only modern- The earthquake damage nor damage.” ens, Greece. The earth- piles of steel and concrete. day structures were de- is estimated at approxi- In the northern part of the quake, which struck the ‘Students and staff who stroyed in the shock. The mately $655 million. city, 140 people were killed city on Sept. 7, measured lived in the areas which were ancient ruins appeared to be “ I was in the school’s and thousands left homeless, 5.9 on the Richter Scale. hit harder still are adjust- untouched during the tem- library at the time, which is in addition to structural dam- “It’s hard to have an ing ,” said Koutsoutis. blor. located on the lower level,” ages. PAGE^ THE REFLECTOR OPINION SEPTEMBER 29.1999 Vaccination againqt meningitis1 demanded for college students Matt Holmes aren’t even aware that they stopped by a highly avail- promoted so little? You don’t see a lot of only adhered to by 70 Sports Editor are carrying the disease. able vaccine called The CDC has not cases of hepatitis or colleges and universities. The. disease is rampant Menomume, which has recommended the vaccine measles either, but the What is U of I doing Recent reports have in dorms because residents been around since 1981. because the experts there CDC encourages people to about this potential prob- shown that college stu- live in close proximity, But until recently only believe that meningitis is get that vaccine! lem? dents living in dormitories and are in almost constant people travelling to foreign rare. According to the The CDC is not the only Just scraping the bare are much more likely than contact and association countries have been told CDC’s Dr. James Turner, group of medical profes- necessity of the ACHA their off-campus counter- with many different about its existence. it doesn’t make economic sionals not recommending recommendation. parts to contract meningi- people. Not only has it been sense for college students the vaccine to college If you ask U of I health tis, a deadly disease. Now, I’m not going to around for more than 17 to run out and get vacci- students. In fact, no group services about meningitis, It also has been shown tell you to stop partying or years, but it is successful, nated. is recommending it. they will tell you about the that certain social behav- to start looking for an too. The vaccine has been What does he mean, it The only group that vaccine and that anyone iors (e.g., partying) that apartment if you live in the shown to be 85-100 doesn’t make “sense”? It’ll even mentions it is the can get vaccinated if they college students often dorms. That isn’t the percent effective in college make sense when someone American College Health want to. However, the engage in increase the solution to this problem, age students. And, the is lying in a hospital bed, Association. vaccine is not required and odds of getting the bacteria which isn’t at outbreak vaccine is safe and its about to have his or her And, the ACHA just won’t be unless an out- that causes meningitis. levels yet, but is close to adverse side effects, arms and legs amputated recommends that college break occurs. Meningitis is spread gettipg there if precautions primarily redness and pain because of advanced onset students consider thinking Hopefully, I’ve given through the air by droplets aren’t taken. at the site of injection of the disease! about the vaccine. It also you something to think of respiratory secretions Dorms don’t need to be lasting up to two days, are When the CDC recom- recommends that college about concerning the and by direct contact with remade and partying mild and infrequent. mends the vaccine, it only health services provide negligent disregard of the an infected person. doesn’t have to be out- The vaccine will last does so to people with information to people who meningitis vaccine. Both these things lawed. Only one thing from three to five years- weakened immune sys- ask for it. In the future maybe happen at parties when needs to be done to protect plenty long for students tems, people travelling to Why wait until someone more people will find out students share a cigarette college students across the staying in dorms before impoverished areas, and asks? that this deadly disease can or share a drink. Most country- getting an apartment. people living in an area Provide it to everyone, be prevented or treated people who spread menin- Advertise the vaccine! The next question: Why where an outbreak has anyway. Even worse is long before it ever be- gitis at these functions Meningitis can be has the vaccine been occurred. that this weak solution is comes life threatening. Reflection: Employment for all Angela Langford increased. Opinion Editor It was a relief to find that there is a growing An article was posted market out there for Sept. 13 on the university individuals such as myself home page that addressed who have chosen journal- a development important ism as a career, especially to all of us communication since many people wonder“ majors. The article, what a communication entitled, “Improved Job degree will amount to in Market for Comm. Gradu- the “real world.” ates,” shared the findings I could see that wonder- of the Annual Survey of ment in my family’s eyes Journalism and Mas? when I told them I was CommunicationL Gradu->+ switching my major from ned to elementary education to monitor the employment English and jdu%alism. rates and salaries of gradu- The vision of me flipping ates of journalism and hamburgers the rest of my mass communicatiop life formulated itself in programs in the United their mind’s eye at mi States. desire to make a career out The results were posi- of writing.