Office of Public Relations — Newsroom
News Release
Dormitories: the Perfect Breeding Ground for Disease
DENVER (Nov. 5, 2004) — For many students, the fall season brings more than mid-term exams — it also brings illness. At colleges and universities, often several thousand live in the residence halls, or dorms. Certain illnesses tend to thrive in the dorm environment, where groups of students spend a lot of time together.
Mononucleosis is one of the most common illnesses among high school and college students, because it is easily spread.
"Mono is spread through saliva, so it can be spread from kissing, or other means, such as sharing drinking glasses or sipping from the same straw," said Dr. Adriana Weinberg, an infectious disease expert at University of Colorado Hospital.
Symptoms of mononucleosis include a sore throat, fever, and extreme fatigue. Often, the lymph nodes in the neck may be swollen, and occasionally, the disease may cause inflammation of the spleen or liver. The best treatment for mononucleosis is rest - there is no cure available, so treatment depends on relieving the symptoms, which may take several weeks.
Another less common but extremely serious disease that sometimes causes an outbreak in the dorms is bacterial meningitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports college freshman living in dorms have a more than six times greater risk of contracting bacterial meningitis than other college students. Bacterial meningitis inflames the tissue and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal canal and causes flu-like symptoms - headache, stiff neck and fever.
Bacterial meningitis is highly contagious and can be spread through kissing, sneezing, coughing or sharing eating utensils. College students are at greater risk for bacterial meningitis because of the close contact they have in classes and those that live in the dorms are at even greater risk because of their close living arrangements.
Meningitis symptoms can come on quickly, and up to 10 percent of patients die within days of developing the disease. Other patients may experience organ or brain damage and loss of limbs.
Many dorms are now requiring a meningitis vaccination before students are allowed to move in.
Another ailment that sometimes occurs in the dorms is head lice. Symptoms of head lice include excessive itching and nits appearing near the base of the neck and ears. It is spread mostly through direct personal contact. Although the risk of contracting head lice is low, it is recommended that students not share hats, clothing or pillows with anyone.
"The best prevention against these illnesses is good hygiene and cleanliness, and to avoid sharing drinking glasses," Weinberg said.
University of Colorado Hospital is the Rocky Mountain region's only academic tertiary care and referral center, and has been recognized as one of America's best hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report. Located in Denver and Aurora, Colo., the hospital is part of the University of Colorado Denver campus, one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system. For more information, visit the Web site at www.uch.edu.