Health alerts accompany tribute

As the University community mourns the death of College sophomore Anne Ryan, questions and concerns about meningococcal meningitis, the disease that claimed the 19-year-old's life, are circulating around campus.

Here is an overview of the bacterial infection, along with its symptoms, likelihood of occurrance on Penn's campus and strategies to prevent the disease.

• Definition of the disease:

Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial disease that leads to the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

When active, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and quickly damage various organs.

• Symptoms of the disease:

Symptoms include high fever, stiff neck, severe headache, rash, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and confusion, according to the American College Health Association.

Students who notice any of these should contact their campus health organization immediately, especially if the symptoms are severe or sudden.

Individuals who contract the disease will generally show symptoms within four days, though it can take up to 10.

• Who is most at risk:

The contagious disease, which affects 1,400-2,000 people and causes 100-150 deaths each year, is common among infants and young adults.

College students living in dormitories have been identified as being at slightly higher risk. Their confined living situations can lead to easier transmission of meningitis, which occurs through either through respiratory droplets (via coughing and sneezing) or direct contact (via kissing or oral contact through sharing drinks or cigarettes).

If not treated quickly, the disease can be fatal; it has a 10 to 14 percent mortality rate, and 11 to 19 percent of survivors suffer consequences like loss of vision, hearing or limbs, said Curtis Allen, spokesperson for the Center for Disease Control.

• Difficulties of identifying the disease:

Its symptoms are often confused with other diseases; patients with meningococcal disease often think they have the flu, according to the ACHA Web site.

• Strategies to prevent the disease:

Penn requires all students living in residence halls - virtually all incoming freshman - to provide proof of immunization.

The vaccine's effectiveness within the first year of vaccination ranges from 88 to 98 percent - a number considered safe and effective, Allen said.

For the last three years, compliance with the requirement has been 99.5 percent or better, Director of Health Services Evelyn Wiener said.

Weiner cautioned that "there is no vaccine that is 100 percent effective."

Both the ACHA and the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunizations have issued a recommendation that all first-year students living in residence halls be vaccinated against meningococcal disease.

According to a 2004 ACHA Internet-based study, 60 percent of colleges that responded reported having a written policy on meningococcal meningitis.

Students who have religious or medical reasons not to be vaccinated can choose to waive the vaccination as long as they are informed of the risks.

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