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Health center stocks hundreds of vaccinations ■ MENINGITIS Continued from page 1 fatal of two forms of the disease — viral meningitis, the other form, is less serious — and is a rare occurrence in the United States. Bill Hill, director of health services, said there are only about 3,000 cases of bacterial meningitis in the United States every year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site defines meningitis as “an infection of the fluid of a person’s spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain.” A 2000 report by the CDC notes that meningitis — also known as spinal meningitis — has a 10 percent mortality rate, with 11 percent to 19 percent of survivors facing neurological disability, limb loss or hearing loss. Student Life Director Jerry Brewer said USC President Andrew Sorensen met with Darby’s family Monday night and that Housing officials were “attending to anything” they could for them. While Hill said no one knows how Darby contracted the illness, about 10 percent of the population acts as asymptomatic carriers, unaffected individuals who spread the disease. Once someone contracts the disease, it is spread through “close contact” with one who is infected, such as prolonged close proximity as well as kissing, sharing a cigarette, using the same eating utensils, sharing toothbrushes or other types of contact in which respiratory or throat secretions might have been exchanged. Students who were in close contact with Darby are advised to visit the Thomson Student Health Center for a one-dose treatment of the antibiotic Cipro. Hill noted that those who only had casual contact with Darby, such as classmates, are not targeted as being at risk. Yet few students are being turned away from vaccinations. More than 600 students were treated Monday and about 200 more had been treated by 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. To accommodate this number of students, the health Kirkland Darby, a first-year business student, was diagnosed Monday with bacterial meningitis, a rare disease affecting the spinal column. Darby was hospitalized Monday night and is in serious condition. center remained open until 10 p.m. Monday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Luna said that people considered in the “target group” for the antibiotic — those who might have been in close contact with Darby within the week before his diagnosis, including the members of Kappa Alpha, Zeta Tau Alpha and the third-floor residents of LaBorde — were contacted Monday. Meetings for this “at risk” group were held in LaBorde. Luna said the health department would watch carefully during the next week for second cases. Darby is the first USC student to contract the disease in at least 17 years and might be the only case, Hill said. In February 2002, a Midlands high school student died from the disease. Both Hill and Luna said if any MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK Housing director Gene Luna talks with a reporter outside the Thomson Student Health Center Tuesday afternoon. Luna said Kirkland Darby, a first-year business student, is still "very ill” and is receiving medical treatment at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital. more cases are found, the campus would be informed via the USC Web site, e-mails, slides on the WRHA channel and other means. Hill also said that rumors regarding multiple outbreaks among USC students were unfounded. “We have one case of meningitis in the county of Richland,” he said. Luna said the health department’s “tight protocol” requires reporting any cases of meningitis. Hill said students are welcome to be screened for the antibiotic at Thomson Student Health Center. If identified as being at-risk, the antibiotic will be administered free of-charge. Other students are welcome to order the vaccine either at the Health Center or with their doctors. Hill cautions that the vaccine isn’t foolproof, however, and only protects against four out of five strains of meningitis. The -1 vaccine is not a lifetime shot'and is effective for only three to five years.. Whittney Langston, a first-year pharmacy- student, visited the Thomson Student Health Center on Tuesday to get her vaccine. While she had contracted the disease as a child, her mother told her she should probably get vaccinated anyway. For Langston, it was especially scary because she knew Darby from elementary school. Also, Langston said, one of her close friends knows had about 150 doses of Cipro, gathered about 500 doses from the county health department and ordered 600 more Tuesday from the center’s usual supplier. The health center had 900 doses by Tuesday. Hill said they would start today with “well over 1,000 available.” Despite this inventory, Hill warned against being overanxious to take the antibiotic. “We don’t want students to overestimate exposure,” Hill said. “We wish students would be Creed Week Essay Contest $500 scl olarship, plus more! lOarolinian SIGN IT. MEAN IT. LIVE IT. i-1 Students can compete by composing an essay of 500 words on one of three quotes offered and how the quote relates to the Carolinian Creed and USC students. "A great soul will be strong to live, as well as strong to think. " Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1837 / decline to accept the end of man. I believe that man will not merely endure; he will prevail. ” —William Faulkner. 1950 " I did not care what it was all about. All I wanted to know was how to live in it. ” —Ernest Hemingway. 1926 All essays are to be double-spaced and include a title page with the student’s name and • social security number. Essays are turned in to the Office of Student Judicial Programs at 901 Sumter Street, Suite 201 by Friday, October 8, 2004 at 4:30 p.m.. For more information go to www.sa.sc.edu/creed/essaycontest.htm or contact 777-4333. ■ SCAM Continued from page 4 dealing with unknown persons or organizations on the phone. “Don’t make conclusions about an offer after the first call,” she said. “You can always decide to opt-in after you investigate it.” In these scams, Soehl said, the fatal blow comes when a student releases sensitive information to the scammer. “Do not give personal information over the phone until you have investigated it,” Soehl said. Soehl emphasized how important it is for students to contact either the Parent Hotline or the USCPD when contacted by a suspected scammer, so that officials can file the appropriate paper work and take action. “The percentage of calls that require us to fill out feedback forms is very small,” Soehl said Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gum.sc. edu mm anu was> up^cri. * “We were all kind of freaked out last night,” she said. Hill commended the staff at the Health Center for their efforts. “It’s difficult to see 600 students in a seven- to eight-hour time period,” he said, also giving credit to DHEC and the Richland County Health Department. After being informed of Darby’s illness, the health center, which uujccuvc wncn nicy tunaiucr whether they had close contact or not.” Having been swamped by students wanting the vaccine, Hill said he wants students to know that the Health Center will also continue to treat other students seeking medical attention. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockneTvs@guim.sc.edu Surf Yourself For more information on meningitis and its treatment, visit the Student Health Services webpage at: http://www.sa.sc.edu/tshc/lVleningitislnformation.htm Other Links http://www.cdc.gov/hcidod/dbmd/diseaseinfc/men ingococcal_g.htm http://www.musa.org/mencoll.html http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr4907.pdf September 20-24 • 1st floor lobby of the Russell House • llCim-4pm THE GAMECOCK is looking for editorial cartoonists. If • interested, please call 777-7726.