CA: Meningococcal meningitis outbreak at Santa Clara University- 3rd case reported

[Shiloh]

Source: http://kron4.com/2016/02/02/two-santa-clara-university-students-have-meningococcal-meningitis/

Two Santa Clara University students have meningococcal meningitis
By Vince Cestone, KRON and Katie Lyons Published: February 2, 2016, 11:11 pm Updated: February 2, 2016, 11:37 pm

SANTA CLARA (KRON) ? Two Santa Clara University students are in the hospital Tuesday night with meningococcal meningitis, according to Health Information Officer Allison Thrash.

Public health officials are working with the university to vaccinate students. The bacteria is carried in the throat and is transmitted through saliva or mucus...

 

[Dani]

This has been identified as serogroup B. Most current students will not have had the newer vaccines which will protect against serogroup B. Mass vaccinations will be taking place tomorrow (4 Feb 2016) and Friday:

 

[Dani]

County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Health Officer 976 Lenzen Avenue, 2nd Floor San Jos?, CA 95126

MEMORANDUM TO: The Santa Clara University Community FROM: Sara H. Cody, MD George S. Han, MD, MPH Health Officer and Director Communicable Disease Controller SUBJECT: Meningococcal infection On Sunday, January 31, 2016 an undergraduate student on campus became very ill and was admitted to a local hospital. This case has now been confirmed to be meningococcal meningitis, serogroup B. Meningococcal meningitis is an infection of the protective covering of the brain and spinal cord caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Today we learned that a second undergraduate student on campus admitted to a hospital with suspected meningococcal infection has also been confirmed to have a bloodstream infection with Neisseria meningitidis. Meningococcal infection can result in meningitis and/or septicemia (bloodstream infection). We share the University community?s concern and join the students? friends and family in wishing for a quick recovery. We understand the great concern and worry that this sort of infection causes, and we are sharing information to ensure that everyone understands what the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and Santa Clara University are doing to protect the health of the University community. We advise all students, faculty, and staff to be aware of the symptoms of meningitis and septicemia. The symptoms of meningitis include the sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. Patients may also have nausea, vomiting, confusion, and sensitivity to light. The symptoms of septicemia include fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, cold hands and feet, chills, severe muscle aches, and rapid breathing. A dark purple or red rash may also be present and is a very concerning symptom in the context of the other symptoms. Individuals with these symptoms should seek urgent medical attention. Symptoms can occur one to ten days after exposure, but three to four days after exposure is more typical. We are working closely with the University to identify students at increased risk of infection and provide preventive antibiotics. Students at increased risk are those who had close contact with the ill students in the week before they became ill. Meningococcal bacteria are carried in the throat and are transmitted person to person by respiratory secretions (such as saliva and mucus) during close or lengthy contact. DATE: February 2, 2016

Vaccines to protect against meningococcal infection are available. The vaccine that most college students received when they were 11 or 12 years old and again at age 16 protects against four serogroups of meningococcal bacteria (A, C, W, Y). However, this vaccine does not provide protection against the strain of bacteria (serogroup B) that caused infection in the student whose serogroup was identified. Fortunately, two vaccines against serogroup B are now licensed in the United States (Bexsero? and Trumenba?) and offer protection against infection with this strain. Because these vaccines were recently licensed in 2014 and 2015, it is unlikely that many students have received them and are protected against serogroup B infection.
We recommend that students who have not received either Bexsero? or Trumenba? be vaccinated. It generally takes 10 to 14 days for immunity to build; the second dose in the vaccine series should be given at least one month after the initial dose. Therefore, the vaccine does not provide immediate protection but rather builds long-term immunity. For individuals who had close contact with the ill students, preventive antibiotics, as discussed above, are necessary to prevent illness. We are working with Santa Clara University to vaccinate students on campus later this week. The University is planning to sponsor a vaccine clinic on Thursday from 2:00 ? 8:00 p.m. and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the Concourse Level of Leavey Center. The vaccine will be provided at no cost to students.
In the meantime, we urge students who notice symptoms of meningococcal infection to seek care at Cowell University Health Center, or at a local emergency room, especially if symptoms are sudden or severe.
We appreciate your partnership in protecting the health of the Santa Clara University Community.
Please read the FAQs on pages 3 and 4.

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Outbreak-of-meningitis-causing-bacteria-hits-3rd-6807744.php


Meningitis-linked bacteria hits 3rd Santa Clara University student
By Kimberly Veklerov Updated 3:34 pm, Thursday, February 4, 2016

Health officials said Thursday that a third student at Santa Clara University has tested positive for a meningitis-causing bacteria, while authorities in Alameda County said an employee at Argosy University recently died from the disease in an unrelated case.

All of the Santa Clara University students were hospitalized after falling ill around the same time Sunday, but knowledge of the extent of the outbreak unraveled over the next several days as laboratory test results poured in. Officials announced the first case Monday, a second one Tuesday and the third case on Thursday...

 

[Dani]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 4, 2016
Media Contact:
Allison Thrash, Health Information Officer Santa Clara County Public Health Department Office: 408-792-5155; Mobile: 669-225-0050 [COLOR=rgb(0.000000%, 0.000000%, 100.000000%)]Allison.Thrash@phd.sccgov.org [/COLOR]
Meningococcal Infection Confirmed in a Third Santa Clara University Student: Vaccine Clinics to be Held on Campus Today and Tomorrow
Santa Clara County, CA: On Wednesday afternoon (February 3, 2016) the Santa Clara County Public Health Department (SCCPHD) learned of a third confirmed case of meningococcal infection in a Santa Clara University student. Like the first two cases, this student is infected with the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis [nye-SEER-ee-ah men-in-JIT- teh-dis]. Additionally, all three ill students have now been confirmed to have the serogroup B strain of the bacteria.
The students all became ill on Sunday January 31st. As of this morning, two students remain hospitalized and both are listed in fair condition. A third student was discharged in good condition.
SCCPHD continues to work with Santa Clara University to identify students at high risk of infection in order to provide preventive antibiotics to keep them from becoming ill. So far, more than 200 students have received the preventive antibiotics. The antibiotics help protect students exposed to the bacteria from developing disease in the short term. Another important step is for students to get vaccinated.

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...-santa-clara-university-linked-to-fraternity/

Meningitis Outbreak At Santa Clara University Linked To Fraternity
February 5, 2016 6:23 PM

SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) ? Hundreds of South Bay college students continued to get emergency vaccinations Friday in the wake of an outbreak of a rare strain of meningitis that has been linked to a fraternity.

The free clinic and meningitis vaccine became a victim of its own success Thursday as extended waits in long lines left many students without receiving the shots. Those people were forced to return Friday for the potentially life-saving treatment...

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.ktvu.com/news/88047284-story


Santa Clara: Students with meningitis released from hospital
Posted:Feb 09 2016 10:03PM PST
Updated:Feb 09 2016 10:03PM PST

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (BCN) - All three of the Santa Clara University students who had been hospitalized after they were infected with meningitis have been released in good condition, Santa Clara County public health officials said today.

The three undergraduate students who became ill on Jan. 30 were found with the serogroup B strain of the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, public health officials said...

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2...with-meningitis-was-vaccinated-what-happened/


Santa Clara Student Got Meningitis Despite Being Vaccinated
By Lisa Aliferis
February 9, 2016

Sometimes the story comes to you.

One of the three students sickened in last week?s meningococcal disease outbreak at Santa Clara University is the son of Penny Nelson, who works with me at KQED News. What?s especially interesting about his case is that he had received a new vaccine against the illness, yet still got sick...