2 Meningitis deaths at University of Louisiana campus

[CajunMama]

There have been 2 meningitis related deaths here in the past several weeks with a 3rd person in the hospital with it. There have been several other meningitis deaths in the past several years in our area. University of Louisiana is where my kids and one of BreinLa's kids go to college. One of my kids has been vaccinated, the other is going to get vaccinated.


Health Officials Continue Investigating Meningitis Cases on UL Campus


State and local health officials continue to investigate the second meningitis-related death on the UL campus in less than three weeks.
Vaccinations are running short, but Acadiana experts say parents and students should not over-react to the situation.

We now want to tell you more about the former student who died as a result of meningitis. The death of Cameron Matthew Andrus has touched the staff of TV 10 in a very personal way. Cameron was our co-worker.
The 19-year-old had not been with the station long, but in his position as studio cameraman, those of us who work in news and production had come to know him and to appreciate his quiet, artistic manner and sense of humor.

Services will be held Sunday afternoon at 1:00, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

Our prayers are with our friend and those he loved.

http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=4485361

[alicia-w]

good grief. that's awful.

[CajunMama]

In Jan. 2003 a real nice young man who graduated a year ahead of my son and had so much going for him, went to the sugar bowl in new orleans, came back feeling poorly, went to the hospital and was diagnosed with meningitis...Nick Weber did not survive.

[tornadochaser1986]

wow thats terrible but wait i applied to ULM and some other colleges they told mne it was required for every college student to get a vaccine before even attending college shouldnt it have been the same here to?

[Miss Mary]

During my oldest daughter Nina's Senior year of HS, our Pediatrician began asking if she was going to college and planned to live in a dorm. He then strongly recommended the menningitis vaccine. And told us when to get it (Summer before college). He said mark your calendar, call us and we'll schedule it. He also noted in her chart, she was to receive one. He was on top of the situation but prior to this, b/c I'm somewhat of a news junkie, I was aware there have been menningitis deaths on college campuses. I'd like to think if we didn't have a top notch Pediatrician, I would have pushed for it.

Now to the college part. On an application we had to check if she was going to get the shot. And when. I checked it. I think the form was due in March, but since it was to be summer shot, I had to guess at the month. Her college took my word, that she would receive a shot. And didn't ask for a Pediatrician's note or anything (to prove she had it).

I'm wondering if college kids are falling thru the cracks, putting the responsibility onto parents, and the months prior to starting college are so incredibly busy, I can see a few parents say, eh, you'll be fine. Or get the shot on campus after you arrive. And you know where that situation would end up - the student wouldn't get the shot. I had to bug my daughter to get a flu shot for about a month. Every other email, I'd say remember your flu shot! I even called the health center and got the dates/times they were giving them out. I had a very short email from her once - hey mom, you'll be proud of me, I got a flu shot.

All I'm saying is maybe college campus health centers need to verify students received the shot back at home. It is so sad, b/c these deaths could have easily been prevented.

Mary

[TexasStooge]

There was recently a teacher at a Dallas Elementary School that suddenly died of Meningitis a few days ago.

[O Town]

One of my girls had meningitis when she was 5. Very scary folks. It turned out to be viral meninitis which is less life threating than the bacterial kind. But none the less she slept for 2 days straight in the hospital, she was lifeless. And pretty scary when before they know what type she had everyone doctor and nurse who came in closed off by sliding glass door room they all had on masks. And the spinal tap, and MRI they did on her was frighting too. That is how the found out this is what she had, was the spinal. It was going around in the schools here, but I think she was the only one who had it at her school, and thank goodness no one else in our house contracted it. I never want to go through that again!!

[weathermom]

I am confused. I understand there is a vaccine, but is it good for viral and bacterial?

My niece (college freshman) was recently very ill, including a severe headache and when I mentioned meningitis to my SIL she said, "oh no, it can't be that, she had the shot". Does the shot protect against both forms????

[O Town]

I am confused. I understand there is a vaccine, but is it good for viral and bacterial?

My niece (college freshman) was recently very ill, including a severe headache and when I mentioned meningitis to my SIL she said, "oh no, it can't be that, she had the shot". Does the shot protect against both forms????

http://tinyurl.com/59umy
Scroll down and it tells you about the vaccine, it says it protects against 4 types. But never goes into viral and baterial, I am guessing it is for both. That is a good question though.

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/adolesce ... ccine.html
This one gives me the impression it is for bateria only. Baterial is the one you do not want to have. Viral is rough but generally less severe and life threating. You can read about the 2 types in the first link.

[weathermom]

O Town, thanks for the links! Helpful, but still not quite clear, I guess I will have to ask the kids pediatrician about it.

[O Town]

O Town, thanks for the links! Helpful, but still not quite clear, I guess I will have to ask the kids pediatrician about it.

I agree. If you do find out I would like to know too.

[weathermom]

I will try to remember to let you know!

[CajunMama]

Update...another unrelated case of meningitis reported. Scary, scary. The university made all the sororities and fraternities get shots since one boy died and another is recovering from meningitis. Luckily my daughter got one during freshman orientation.

[Miss Mary]

Oh Cathy, that is a little too close to home isn't it? I didn't realize you had kids at this college and also Breinla. I hope they can contain it and there are no more outbreaks. This is very scary. Like your daughter, Nina had the shot too. She hasn't mentioned anything about meningitis at her school. So sorry this has happened.

Mary

[azsnowman]

We have a minor outbreak of the same thing here in Az.........I'll try to find some info on this, makes ya wonder now don't it?

Dennis

[Lindaloo]

My Uncle died from this back in August. The doctor's said it was one of the worst cases they have ever seen.

[CajunMama]

Good news for my son. He got a meningitis shot from the university and it was FREE! Bad news though...one more person down with meningitis. He's in the hospital in Morgan City where his parents live but he actually lives here. Another case in Jennings, LA but that on is not contagious...it's from a staph infection.

[furluvcats]

Wow...I'm so glad your kids are all vaccinated ladies! WHY the outbreak now? Does this happen every year? Why in college kids in dorms? How do they get it? Could this disease have bred in the aftermath of the hurricane destruction?

[Miss Mary]

Our Pediatrician told us that kids live in such close proximity to eachother in dorms, don't eat well or foods they should, don't get the rest they need and skip vitamins. Add it all up and this age group in particular are prime targets for meningitis he said. He said they may recommend it for all teens, not just HS seniors about to gradate and going off to live in a college dorm in the Fall.

If your child lived at home and commuted to college, I'm not sure if they'd be strongly encouraged to get one or now. All I know is as soon as Nina said she wanted to live in a dorm, the next thing our doctor was mentioning were the shots. He just looked at me and said - she must get one! I said oh and came home to mark the calendar. Luckily his office got vacines in but if they hadn't, I would have found a clinic or health dept. with them. The Pediatrician scared us. This was when living in a dorm had looked so wonderful and this took a little of the wonderful edge off. Just enough to say okay, book me for a shot. But I'm still living in a dorm.

Mary