 Volume 141, Number 5Excerpts from Vol. 141, No. 5; February 22, 2008Student being treated in isolation in local hospitalBy Michelle Laxer
News Editor
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to take Tuesday’s announcement of a student diagnosed with suspected meningococcal disease as a reminder to take proper precautions and simple steps to ensure good health. “The best thing you can do is don’t share your toothbrush, don’t drink out of other people’s glasses; when you cough, don’t cough in someone’s face, use a Kleenex [and] wash your hands repeatedly,” said Don Stechschulte, M.D., Director of Student Health Services. “Those are the things that your grandmother told you about and those are the things that work.” The University does not require students to be vaccinated against meningitis. In accordance with Pennsylvania law, the University does inform students about meningitis and the vaccinations available. According to Stechschulte, the vast majority of students are vaccinated. However, it is not 100 percent effective because, according to the American College Health Association (ACHA), only four of the five bacterial strains are preventable by vaccination. The fraternity brothers of William “Matt” Chodkowski ’09 are doing their part to stay safe. “We’ve been preaching about not sharing drinks and food and not leaving glasses and silverware out,” said Doug Bobrow ’09, Phi Kappa Psi fraternity president. “Not sharing drinks is definitely the most important thing for us to ensure that nobody else gets sick.” After Chodkowski, a resident of the Fraternity, was diagnosed, other residents were strongly encouraged to take a Cipro pill to prevent catching meningitis. Others Chodkowski was in close contact with were also offered the medication. Cipro will eliminate the colonized, or carrier, state if a student became infected, Stechschulte said.(read full article)
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