Health Topics

Meningitis

Immunization Recommendations for Meningitis

The American College Health Association (ACHA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all first-year students living in residence halls get immunized against meningococcal disease, a rare, but potentially fatal, bacterial infection commonly referred to as meningitis. In addition, other college students under the age of 25 years who wish to reduce their risk for the disease may choose to be vaccinated.

College students living in residence halls are more likely to contract meningococcal disease than the general college population, due to lifestyle factors, such as crowded living situations, bar patronage, active or passive smoking, irregular sleep patterns, and sharing personal items.

Meningococcal disease strikes 1,400 to 3,000 Americans each year and is responsible for approximately 150 to 300 deaths. Adolescents and young adults account for nearly 30 percent of all cases of meningitis in the United States. In addition, approximately 100 to 125 cases of meningococcal disease occur on college campuses each year, and five to 15 students will die as a result.

  • Know how meningitis is spread
  • Know the symptoms (often mistaken for the flu)
  • Know when to seek medical help
  • Know about the vaccine that helps prevent meningitis

For more information about meningitis and vaccination, visit the Student Health Center.

You also can visit the websites of the American College Health Association, www.acha.org/meningitis, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/submenus/sub_meningitis.htm.

Meningitis vaccines are available at the health center by appointment for $95.00.

HPV and HPV Vaccine Facts

What is HPV?

HPV, human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and can cause abnormal Pap test results, genital warts, and cervical cancer.

More than 20 million people in the U.S. are infected with HPV, and about 6.2 million more get infected each year.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that more than one in four females between the ages of 14 and 59 have HPV – and nearly 45 percent of women between the ages of 20 and 24 are infected.  Seventy-four percent of new HPV infections occur among 15-24 year-olds.  While most HPV infections don’t cause any symptoms and go away on their own, between three and six percent of the infections can lead to genital warts or to precancerous abnormal cell changes that can lead to cervical cancer.  Unquestionably, the female students at your institution could be at risk.

The American Cancer Society recently reported that in 2007 an estimated 11,000 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed and 3,700 women will die from it.  While not as common in the U.S., it’s the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world.

The Quadrivalent HPV Vaccine

About the Vaccine

This prophylactic vaccine offers a promising new approach to the prevention of HPV and associated conditions.  However, this vaccine will not replace other prevention strategies since it will not work for all genital HPV types.

The vaccine has been tested in over 11,000 females (nine-26 years of age) in many countries around the world, including the U.S.

The HPV vaccine contains inactivated and noninfectious viral proteins that protect against four major types of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18) that are responsible for 90 percent of genital warts and 70 percent of cervical cancers.  The vaccine is given as a three-dose series with the second dose given two months after dose one and the third dose given six months after dose one.  It is important that this timeline is kept in order for the vaccine to be optimally effective.

Side Effects

The vaccine causes no serious side effects.  The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site which is common but mild.  Mild or moderate fever has also been reported.  As with all vaccines, the HPV vaccine will continue to undergo monitoring for unusual or severe side effects or problems.

Screening

Females don’t need a Pap test or screening prior to starting the vaccine, but should continue such testing per the usual schedule after vaccination.

Cost

The cost at Drake Student Health Center is $140.00.

Who Should Get the HPV Vaccine?

The vaccine is safe and effective for females nine-26 years old, regardless of their sexual history.  It is most effective if given before the onset of sexual activity.  However, females who are sexually active also may benefit from the vaccine.  Females who have not been infected with any vaccine type would receive the full benefit of the vaccination.  Females who already have been infected with one or more HPV type would still get protection from the vaccine types they have not acquired.  Few young women are infected with all four HPV types in the vaccine.

Since this vaccine is newly approved, many college-aged women have not had the opportunity to receive the vaccine until now.  This “Catch-Up Vaccination” is strongly recommended to help protect against the types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

Who Should Not Get the HPV Vaccine?

Women who have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to yeast, to any other component of the HPV vaccine, or to a previous dose of HPV vaccine should not start or continue the vaccine series.  Pregnant women should not get the vaccine since the effects of the vaccine during pregnancy are still being studied.  Any exposure to vaccine in pregnancy should be reported to the vaccine pregnancy registry at 1-800-986-8999.  People with moderate or severe acute illnesses should also defer their vaccine until after the illness improves.

Should Men Get the HPV Vaccine?

While it is possible that vaccination of males with the quadrivalent vaccine may offer direct health benefits to males and indirect health benefits to females, there is currently no efficacy data available to support use of HPV vaccine in males.  Efficacy studies in males are ongoing.  In the meantime, males should encourage their female partners to consider vaccination and remain attentive to licensure of the vaccine for males, at which time they should consider getting vaccinated to lower their risk of transmitting HPV to their partners.

A Word about Cervical Cancer Screening

Widespread cervical cancer screening using the Pap test and treatment of precancerous cervical abnormalities has resulted in a marked reduction in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the U.S. Thus cervical cancer screening recommendations have not changed for females who receive the HPV vaccine.  Healthcare providers should continue to encourage women to receive regular cervical cancer screening even if they have been vaccinated since the vaccine will not prevent all cases of genital warts.

Be Smarter. Get Vaccinated.

Since a significant proportion of sexually active men and women can become infected with HPV at some time in their lives HPV is something they should be aware of for the future.

Offering the facts about HPV and the HPV vaccine can help protect your female students against the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical cancer and genital warts.  Encourage them to “Be Smarter and Get Vaccinated.”