If a suspected or diagnosed case of meningococcal disease is reported (on campus or in neighboring communities), the following intervention measures should be considered:
- Intensify surveillance and increase awareness among college health services, community physicians, and hospitals.
- Notify college administration and health care personnel as well as public health departments.
- Begin education on the college campus and in surrounding areas about transmission. Pursue early diagnosis and treatment of cases and contacts. Contacts of cases of meningococcal disease should receive appropriate antibiotic chemoprophylaxis whether or not they are vaccinated for meningococcal disease. CDC provides guidelines on defining close contacts and appropriate antibiotics and dosage schedules.
- Consider mass immunization of students to prevent additional cases if an outbreak occurs, that is, 10 cases per 100,000 and three or more cases of the same serogroup within three months.
Because meningococcal disease is one of the most feared diagnoses in the United States, sporadic cases and outbreaks almost invariably spread panic through college communities. In order to proactively guard against an outbreak (or endemic disease), ACIP recommends that undergraduate college students, particularly freshmen who live in or plan to live in dormitories or residence halls, should consider getting the vaccine.
For those persons needing assistance in locating a provider for the vaccine, please consult with your medical practitioner, local or state health department, or contact the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Student Health Services at (608) 342-1891.