Deadly meningitis outbreak prompts college students to call for campus shutdown

Students at the University of Kent in the U.K. are calling for a shutdown in light of an active meningitis outbreak.

The demands follow multiple alerts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) about the outbreak.

As of March 18, the agency had announced a total of 15 confirmed cases of meningococcal disease, 12 additional potential cases and two deaths in Kent, a county in the southeast of England. The University of Kent is located in Canterbury, a historic city within Kent.

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Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

It can cause two life-threatening conditions: meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord lining) and a bloodstream infection called septicemia, which can lead to sepsis, per the above source.

Even with prompt treatment, meningococcal disease can become fatal within hours. Health agencies report a typical fatality rate of about 10% to 15%.

In response to the outbreak, students at the University of Kent launched an online petition calling for campus to be closed.

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"Students at the University of Kent are increasingly concerned about reports of meningitis and sepsis cases affecting members of the campus community," the petition states, as posted on Change.org. "The confirmation of two deaths, along with reports of hospitalizations, has caused understandable concern among students and staff."

The petition expressed concern that in-person exams, lectures and other campus activities are continuing amid the outbreak.

"Many students feel that they are being placed in a difficult position: attend exams and in-person activities during a period of heightened concern or prioritize their health and well-being while risking potential academic consequences," the petition states. "Students should not feel forced to choose between protecting their well-being and continuing their education."

"Students deserve to feel safe on campus," the petition concluded. "We are therefore calling on the University of Kent to consider precautionary steps to prioritize the well-being of students and staff during this situation.

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Preventative antibiotic treatment is being distributed to University of Kent students, according to UKHSA, as well as to those who visited Club Chemistry, a nightclub in Canterbury, between March 5 and March 7.

"A vaccination program has started for students and staff who live in or work in the halls at the University of Kent Canterbury Campus — approximately 5,000 students," the agency noted.

Fox News Digital reached out to the university requesting comment.

Described by the CDC as a "rare but severe illness," meningococcal disease most commonly causes symptoms of meningitis, including fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light or altered mental status.

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It can also cause meningococcal bloodstream infection, which is marked by fever and chills, vomiting, fatigue, vomiting, cold hands and feet, severe aches and pains, diarrhea, rapid breathing or a dark purple rash, the CDC notes. 

Meningitis infections can spread through close contact with someone who has meningococcal disease, "generally, through things like coughing or kissing, but it can also spread by being in the same household or room for extended periods of time with an individual who is infected," Dr. Barbara Bawer, a primary care physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, previously told Fox News Digital.

Those who have symptoms of the disease should see their primary care physician immediately, according to the doctor.

As symptoms tend to progress quickly and can be life-threatening, it is essential that the patient receives antibiotics immediately.

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"It can become fatal or dangerous very quickly — within hours — for any individual, especially if antibiotics are not initiated in a timely manner," Bawer warned. "Even with antibiotics, meningitis can be fatal."

She added, "This is often due to misdiagnosis, because meningitis can mimic many other illnesses."

Most cases of meningococcal disease worldwide are caused by six variations of the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria — A, B, C, W, X and Y.

In the U.S., the most common variations are B, C, W and Y. There are vaccines available to protect against types A, C, W and Y (the MenACWY vaccine) and type B (MenB vaccine), according to the CDC.

"MenACWY vaccines are routinely recommended for adolescents and for people with other risk factors or underlying medical conditions, including HIV," the agency previously stated.

To reduce risk, Bawer recommends that people get vaccinated with the current meningitis vaccine as recommended by the CDC and avoid being in very closed-in spaces with others as much as possible.

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"If you know of someone who has meningitis in your household or you’ve come in contact with their oral secretions (i.e., you kissed them), then you should get preventative antibiotics," the doctor told Fox News Digital. 

This is even more important for those who are immune-compromised or who are on medications that decrease the immune system, Bawer added.