Meningitis Outbreaks Among College Students
             Imagine waking up one morning with flu-like symptoms, only to find out
             that you have contracted a potentially fatal disease from someone in a class or in
             your dorm. Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but serious infection that
             occasionally infects college students and others living in relatively isolated,
             confined communities such as dormitories, thus making college students at a
             greater risk for contracting the potentially fatal disease.
             Meningitis is an inflammation of the linings of the brain and spinal chord
             caused by either viruses or bacteria. Viral infections are more common than
             bacterial infections, usually occurs in late spring and summer. Viral outbreaks
             are often accompanied by stiff neck, nausea, headache, vomiting, and rash.
             Cases of viral meningitis run a short uneventful course. On the other hand,
             bacterial infections are very rare and occur sporadically throughout the year,
             especially in late winter and early spring. Bacterial meningitis in college students
             is most likely caused by a rare strand of the bacteria known as meningococcal
             meningitis. This potentially lethal infection is accompanied by fever, headache,
             vomiting, rash, and changes in mental state. The time of progression related to
             meningococcal meningitis causes grave illness and rapidly progresses to death if
             Outbreaks of meningitis occur in relatively isolated, confined
             as small communities and institutional settings and have recently become
             popular on college campuses. According to the US Centers for Disease Control
             and Prevention (CDC), the incidence of meningococcal meningitis outbreaks has
             risen sharply in recent years, with a total of 33 outbreaks on college campuses
             This is quite possibly due to the close living environments that students are
             accustomed to. Since 10% of the general population carry men
             ...