NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

5/02/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Stephanie Campbell, director of health services at Northwestern State University, will be a participant in forum designed to help universities prevent deadly outbreaks of meningitis Thursday in Baton Rouge. The forum is sponsored by the University of Louisiana System and will be held at the Southeastern Louisiana University School of Nursing building at 4849 Essen Lane beginning at 9 a.m.

Campbell will be part of a panel on educational initiatives with Dr. Timothy Honigman, medical chief of staff, Student Health Center, Louisiana State University and Vera Williams, director of the Student Health Center at Southeastern.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease strikes up to 3,000 Americans every year, but it is preventable through a vaccine. Up to 15 percent of people with meningitis suffer long-term permanent disabilities including hearing loss, limb amputation or brain damage. The disease often begins with symptoms that can be mistaken for the common flu, and students who live in dormitories are at increased risk.

Campbell will discuss NSU's initiative to educate students and parents about the availability of the meningitis vaccine. Northwestern is entering into the fifth year of an agreement with Vaccess Health to make vaccinations available at least once in the fall semester. The university also has a contract with a local physician to administer the vaccine to students who missed the vaccination or want to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

According to Campbell, new guidelines from the American College Health Association will recommend that college students receive a meningitis vaccination.

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