The Office of the Dean of Students recently announced that the CDC has re-classified the recent meningitis cases at the university as an outbreak. In response to this, the Office announced that it will be creating an informational Web site on meningitis and requiring all Ohio University students to receive a meningitis vaccination.
While I agree that the Web site would be a useful resource, I am surprised to hear that students will be required to receive vaccinations. Currently, Menactra, Menomune and the recently approved Menveo are the only vaccines available to protect individuals against meningitis. All of these vaccines protect against four of the five most common subtypes of bacterial meningitis. The one common subtype not covered by these vaccines is type B.
As reported in The Post last Thursday, all seven cases of meningitis at Ohio University reported in the past two years have been type B. Because none of the vaccines protect against type B meningitis, requiring students to receive these vaccinations would be a futile attempt to control an outbreak of type B meningitis.
In the absence of a vaccine that prevents type B meningitis, education would be the best weapon to stop this outbreak. Meningitis is usually spread through secretions from the mouth or nose, so students would be well off to avoid spit and snot. Keeping your cup, cigarette, etc. to yourself may be the best mode of protection against infection from type B meningitis. Receiving a meningitis vaccination is still a good idea because it provides protection against the other causes of bacterial meningitis. However, it would be a ludicrous solution to the current meningitis outbreak on campus.
Nyssa Adams is a junior studying biological sciences.
4 Opinion
