Three cases of meningitis occurred at the end of 2016 among students on the Dijon campus of the University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. A vaccination campaign has been launched.
The death of a 3rd year student at the Economics and Management pole of the University of Dijon (Côte-d’Or) was reported on December 22, 2016, following an invasive meningococcal infection W (IMMW). The situation is considered all the more worrying given that this is the third case of IIM W that has occurred in this student community in three months. To protect this campus and its occupants, the ARS Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has decided to react.
In conjunction with the DGS (1), the Prefecture of the Côte-d’Or, the Académie de Bourgogne and the University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, it first indicates this January 3 that “to date, no new cases have been reported”. But the ARS is however announcing a whole series of preventive measures.
An exceptional “extended” campaign
First, healthcare professionals have been informed of this situation, with a view to being particularly vigilant with regard to patients presenting signs suggestive of the disease. In addition, and as is usually the case, from the first report, and for each case of infection, the ARS searched for people who had close and repeated contact with the deceased student. Once they were found, the ARS recommended antibiotic prophylaxis and vaccination to these “contact persons”. “The 48 people identified are now out of danger,” says the ARS.
Finally, and this is exceptional, an “expanded” vaccination campaign will begin this Wednesday. Its objective is to interrupt the circulation of the germ within the campus. 30,000 students and teachers are thus invited to be vaccinated against meningitis at the University of Dijon. Rare, this decision is explained in particular by the strain affecting the Dijon campus. Recently, type W135 meningococcus is not in fact part of the vaccine recommendations. Health authorities also suspect the presence on campus of “healthy” carriers of the disease.
(1) The General Directorate of Health (DGS)
Symptoms of meningitis
Meningococcus is a germ that is passed from person to person through droplets of saliva through close contact. This very fragile germ does not survive in the environment, which does not require disinfection of premises frequented by a patient.
Invasive meningococcal infections are rare diseases in France. Meningitis is the most common form. It results in fever, headache, stiff neck with vomiting and discomfort in the light. Other signs, especially digestive or joint, may occur, as well as the appearance of red spots that progress rapidly.
.