A new vaccine for meningitis being tested in Eugene this week could protect against the disease longer than the existing vaccine, according to the doctor leading the study.
Dr. Donald England, the medical director of Radiant Research in Eugene, said researchers are looking for 100 people to participate in tests this week. If those spots are filled, Radiant Research may conduct a second round of tests with another 100 people, he said.
In particular, researchers are interested in finding students who live in residence halls to take part in the study, he said. According to another study published in the American Medical Journal in August, college students who live in residence halls are at a greater risk of contracting the disease.
“We’re hoping to get a big turnout from the University, because that’s the group with the biggest problem — and where we could do the most good,” he said.
Meningitis, an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, can take bacterial and viral forms. Meningococcal disease, a bacterial infection spread through close oral contact such as kissing, sneezing or sharing utensils, often leads to meningitis.
Jill Dieringer, a freshman at the University, died of meningococcal disease in February. After her death, hundreds of students went to the University Health Center to get the meningitis vaccine.
This fall, students received a fact sheet on the disease and the vaccine when they moved in to the residence halls, University Housing Director Michael Eyster said.
Eyster said he worked with University Health Center Director Dr. Gerald Fleischli to put together the information for housing residents to let students know a vaccine was available.
They did not go as far as recommending that students get the vaccine, because it does not protect against all strains of meningitis, and it is difficult to assess risk factors for the disease, he said.
According to the American College Health Association, students who smoke or frequent bars regularly may be at a higher risk for contracting meningococcal disease. England said smoking may increase the risk for contracting meningitis because it weakens people’s natural defenses against infections that spread through the respiratory tract. The smoke in many bars puts non-smokers at risk as well, he said.
About half the participants in the study will receive the new vaccine. The rest will be given the existing vaccine, he said.
Both vaccines, which are made by the national drug company Adventis Pasture, protect against 4 out of 5 existing strains of meningitis, which account for about two-thirds of meningitis cases, he said.
The new vaccine is expected to remain effective longer than the existing vaccine, which only lasts a few years, he said.
There is no cost for the vaccine for participants in the study, he said. At the health center, the vaccine costs $66.
Researchers will draw blood from participants during the initial visit when they get the vaccine, and at a follow-up visit a month later to compare the effects of the vaccines, he said. Participants will be paid $25 for each visit.
Radiant Research, a national corporation with headquarters in Kirkland, Wash., is conducting the study at research sites across the country, spokeswoman Beth Katz said.
Those interested in participating in the Eugene study can call Radiant Research at 434-1003.
Kara Cogswell is a student activities reporter for the Oregon Daily Emerald. She can be reached at [email protected].