CAMPUS NOTICE
October 2, 2018
| SUBJECT: | SDSU Meningitis Outbreak: What You Need To Know |
Dear Students,
You may be aware that an outbreak of meningococcal disease has been reported at San Diego State University. San Diego County Public Health office has notified us that three SDSU students have been diagnosed with meningococcal disease. It is further described as serogroup B. The three students do not report connection to each other.
SDSU is taking steps to treat these students. SDSU has been working with San Diego County Public Health Services to identify other students and individuals who were identified as a close contact. Those who were identified as having close personal contact have been notified and provided with preventative antibiotic treatment. SDSU is partnering with San Diego County Public Health Services to provide the recommended vaccine to the students they identify as high risk. (The San Diego County Public Health Services notified all SDSU students about the meningococcal disease outbreak at SDSU on September 28, 2018. Because of the outbreak at SDSU, they are recommending that all unimmunized undergraduate students enrolled at SDSU and less than 24 years of age get vaccinated with one of the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccines.)
Link to SDSU information:
https://goo.gl/fD1ahy
There is information about meningitis and meningococcal disease on the
Student Health Services website at:
https://goo.gl/KRpNjh
What are the symptoms if you have it and where should you go to get evaluated?
While no students at UC San Diego have presented to Student Health Services (SHS) with this infection, members of our community should be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and meningococcal disease which include: a sudden onset of fever, severe headache and neck stiffness that may be associated with nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, a dark purple rash and altered mental functioning such as confusion.
If you or someone you know experiences any of these symptoms, go directly to an emergency department because early treatment is critical. Do not go to Student Health Services or even an urgent care. Go directly to the emergency department if you have these symptoms.
What vaccines are available to prevent infection?
There are two types of vaccines to help prevent meningococcal disease infection. Each helps prevent different causes or "serogroups" of meningococcal disease. The first type of vaccine covers meningococcal infection to serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y. This vaccine is provided at SHS to students with the Student Health Insurance Program (UC SHIP) at no cost and to students without UC SHIP for a fee.
The second type of vaccination prevents serogroup B. This is not a routinely recommended vaccine unless you have certain medical conditions or a public health department has recommended vaccination because of an outbreak. The San Diego Public Health Department has not recommended vaccinating UC San Diego students at this time.
Vaccination fees can be found at:
https://wellness.ucsd.edu/studenthealth/services/cost/Pages/default.aspx
Where do I get additional information?
Please visit the Centers for Disease Control at:
Meningococcal disease:
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/downloads/17-275138A-MeningococcalDis-FS.pdf
FAQs: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4210.pdf
Serogroup B meningococcal disease specifically:
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/downloads/17-275138D-MeningococcalDis-B-Outbreak-FS.pdf
If you have a non-urgent question, please go to the Student Health
Website and write your question in “ask a nurse”.
https://wellness.ucsd.edu/studenthealth/Pages/default.aspx
You will receive an answer within one business day.
If you have an urgent question related to meningitis, please call SHS at 858-534-8089 and press option 2 during business hours.
If you have symptoms of sudden onset of severe headache, neck stiffness and fever, go to the Emergency Room (not Urgent Care) to be evaluated.
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In good health,
Drew Calandrella
Karen J. Calfas, Ph.D.
Stacie San Miguel, M.D. |