Bacterial Meningitis Concerns in Collegiate Athletics | Continuing Education Course

Course Information

Bacterial Meningitis Concerns in Collegiate Athletics

By Erin K. Finnegan, MS, ATC
0.5 hr CEU

Schedule: .5 hr (.5 CEU unit)
Format: CEU
Equipment Needed: Digital Viewing Device
Fee: None

Course Overview:
This unit is designed to increase your understanding of a highly dangerous infection, and help you protect your student athletes from its potentially fatal consequences.

Learning Objectives
1. Participants will be able to identify predisposing factors and modes of transmission.
2. Participants will be able to recognize signs, symptoms, and combinations thereof, specific to bacterial meningitis.
3. Participants will be able to identify populations in which the disease may occur and with whom vaccination may be warranted.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the dual membranes lining the brain and spinal cord. This can be of viral or bacterial origin. The majority of meningitis cases in athletes are viral; however, it is crucial to be aware of both due to the morbidity of bacterial pathogens.3 The New England Journal of Medicine states that bacterial meningitis has decreased by 55% in the United States since the early 1990s, which may be linked to the introduction of the Hib conjugate vaccine. Even with this decrease, the disease still often results in death. While pneumococcal and Hib conjugate vaccines have reduced the risk in young children, older adults are now the risk group.1

When looking at cases from 2003-2007, death occurred in 13% of bacterial meningitis cases.1 Every year in the United States approximately 2,500 are infected, and 300 die from meningococcal disease.9 Viral meningitis, or aseptic meningitis is the clinical syndrome with negative gram stain and bacterial culture of Cerebral Spinal Fluid.2 This form of meningitis is
more common, but less severe.2,3 Both cases of meningitis can occur either acute, with presentation within 24 hours after onset of symptoms, or sub-acute, over 1 to 7 days. Viral meningitis most often occurs during the summer and fall months.2

Neisseria meningitides (meningococcus) and streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) are the leading causes of bacterial, or septic meningitis. This is a medical emergency. If mortality does not result, intracranial complications are significant and include cerebral edema, hearing loss, hydrocephalus, myelitis, and subarachnoid hemorrhage.1,2

The primary symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, and neck stiffness (meningismus). These may also present with nausea, vomiting, photophobia, malaise, drowsiness, and skin lesions. Septic cases will display worse symptoms, but bacterial meningitis should always be assumed. Any decrease in neck suppleness should cause suspicion of meningitis. 2,3

The CDC warns of a few predisposing factors that may lead to bacterial meningitis. Antecedent viral infection, household crowding, chronic underlying illness, and both active and passive smoking may all increase risk.6 High level athletes are more susceptible to both types of meningitis than the general population. They are frequent travelers, which may cause them to get an infection not prevalent in their home country. They also have contact with teammates or opponents from different countries with a different profile of endemic diseases. Athletics is an environment that can easily transmit many diseases, especially respiratory-transmitted diseases due to close contact.4 Also, once a virus or bacteria is introduced to a team, there is an increased risk for others on the team to contract the disease when compared to other athletic teams at the same school.3 These factors may cause team physicians to modify recommended vaccination schedules.4 Common everyday activities of college athletes can facilitate the transmission of bacteria found in nose and throat discharges. These include kissing, sharing utensils and water bottles, being in close quarters, physical contact, and equipment sharing.3,5

Athletes who are recovering from meningitis need to be cleared by a physician before returning to play. There are currently no evidence-based guidelines outlining the process. They should be afebrile and have complete resolution of all other symptoms before returning. For septic meningitis specifically, a neurologic exam should be performed after symptom resolution. An athlete with a change in neurologic function should discuss this with his/her team physician to determine if it safe to return to athletic participation.2,3

Prevention of the spread of meningitis is very important. Reported infection rates range from 30-60% among high school football teams.3 With athletics, strategies need to look at preventing spreading to the team, as well as the surrounding community. Team physicians and medical staff can minimize transmission of meningitis with the following strategies:
1) Emphasize the use of universal precautions, specifically hand washing.
2) Teams should implement single use cups, or individual water bottles.
3) Isolate infected players.
4) Disinfect communal areas in the athletic facility and dorms.
5) Inform school and local public health authorities of any outbreaks.
6) “High Risk” individuals who have “close contact” with the primary case should be considered to be given antibiotic prophylaxis.2

Passive immunization can also prevent the spread of meningococcus. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has constantly updated the guidelines for meningitis vaccines. The most recent update was in 2013. Immunization is recommended for first-year college students living in dormitories. They have at least a three times greater risk from contracting meningococcal infection than students living off campus.3 The vaccine was found to be 97% effective when compared with non‐vaccinated individuals.2 Those at high risk for contraction should receive a booster every 5 years.3

Staff members should also be vaccinated to help prevent a potential outbreak. Any team traveling abroad to countries with high endemicity should make sure to have the team and staff vaccinated ahead of time. Vaccinations should be administered to athletes during the offseason, or when they will have time to rest. Some side effects of the vaccine include myalgia, arthralgia, headache and fever, and can last up to 14 days.4

Serogroups B, C, and Y are the most common causes of meningitis in the United States.8 Four vaccines are licensed in the United States (serogroups A, C, W and Y). Serogroup B is not licensed by the FDA yet; however, it is available for limited use, such as exposure cases, and also those at risk in the age group 16-18.6-8 This is the result of outbreaks on college campuses. From 2008-2010, a prolonged outbreak of serogroup B on a university campus in Ohio led to 13 cases and one death. In 2013, two universities in New Jersey and California experienced serogroup B outbreaks with a combined 13 cases and one death reported.8

It is clear that healthcare professionals who provide acute or preventative care to college students should stay up to date on the latest changes and recommendations of bacterial meningitis. Information on the subject should be made readily available for both college students and their parents.

Up to date information on the current use of vaccines and bacterial meningitis can be found at the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov, or the American College of Health Association at www.acha.org.

Faculty Credentials:
Erin Finnegan, MS, ATC
Sponsors – n/a

References
1. Thigpen et al: Bacterial Meningitis in the United States. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2011; 364(21): 2016-2025.
2. Ewald A, McKeag D: Meningitis in the Athlete. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2008; 7 (1): 22-27.
3. Blaylokc J, Decker C: Common Infections in the Collegiate Athlete. Disease-a-Month. 2010; 56:422-435.
4. Gartner B, Meyer T: Vaccination in Elite Athletes. Sports Medicine. 2014; 44: 1361-1376.
5. New Meningococcal Meningitis Awareness Program: “Get in the Game”. Health & Medicine Week. June 28, 2013: 2294.
6. Centers for Disease Control. Prevention and Control of Meningococcal Disease: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. March 22, 2013.
7. National Foundation for Infectious Disease. Meningococcal Serogroup B Cases and Outbreaks on U.S. College Campuses. Available at: www.nfid.org/idinfo/meningtitis/menigococcal-b-college-outbreaks.html. Accessed January 10, 2016.
8. Centers for Disease Control. Interim-‐guidance for Control of Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease Outbreaks in Organizational Settings. http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/downloads/interimguidance.pdf . Accessed January 10, 2016.
9. New York State Department of Health Communicable Disease Fact Sheet. Meningococcal Disease. Available at: http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/consumer/menin.htm. March 2005.

Terms and Conditions:
Cancellation Policy:
There is no cancellation fee for this course. Please note that you will not receive the credit for this course without completing a proficient assessment.
Refund Policy:
This is a free course. Refunds will not be necessary.
Note on Teaching Method:
Being a virtual, on-demand course this lends itself to be accessible to the athletic trainer no matter their schedule. Thereby to get the most out of this course, take it when distractions are at a minimum.
Non-Discriminatory Practices:
This course does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status. This course welcomes all participants to complete the overview and assessment for one continuing education credit.
Conflict of Interest:
Authorship of this course may only come from Medco Sports Medicine and Medco approved authors. This course may not be recreated or redistributed in any way. You may not falsify your certificate for this course. Medco does not support sponsorship from outside motivators to complete for anything other than a credit and a certificate. Only one credit will be granted upon completion, you may not repeat this course for multiple credits of the same course.
Joint Providorship:
This course is a jointly provided activity that provides continuing medical education to increase, maintain, or develop learning, skills, and knowledge for practicing physicians. It has been planned evaluated, and implemented by an accredited course by Medco Sports Medicine in partnership with BOC.
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