anyone afraid? my friend told me about and scared the crap outta me...
While still relatively rare, cases of this bacteria-caused meningitis among teens and young adults have more than doubled since 1991, said Carmen Priddy, a public health epidemiologist for Kanawha, Clay, Putnam and Boone counties.
The number of outbreaks in U.S. colleges and universities also has risen.
It strikes about 3,000 Americans each year. About 10 percent die.
Potentially lethal, the disease is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can lead to hearing loss, brain damage, kidney failure, seizures, limb amputation and death.
Symptoms resemble the flu and include high fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, rash, lethargy and confusion.
A vaccine is available against four of the most common strains of this meningitis and is about 85 percent effective, according to the American College Health Association. Those four strains account for about 70 percent of cases among those of college age.
While the vaccine may prevent the person carrying the bacteria from getting sick, it does not prevent the carrier from spreading the infection to others.
While still relatively rare, cases of this bacteria-caused meningitis among teens and young adults have more than doubled since 1991, said Carmen Priddy, a public health epidemiologist for Kanawha, Clay, Putnam and Boone counties.
The number of outbreaks in U.S. colleges and universities also has risen.
It strikes about 3,000 Americans each year. About 10 percent die.
Potentially lethal, the disease is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can lead to hearing loss, brain damage, kidney failure, seizures, limb amputation and death.
Symptoms resemble the flu and include high fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, rash, lethargy and confusion.
A vaccine is available against four of the most common strains of this meningitis and is about 85 percent effective, according to the American College Health Association. Those four strains account for about 70 percent of cases among those of college age.
While the vaccine may prevent the person carrying the bacteria from getting sick, it does not prevent the carrier from spreading the infection to others.
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