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Over 8000 students and 1000 staff at Southampton University were immunised against strain C meningococcal meningitis after a recent outbreak of the disease in which three students died."It's been a major operation mobilising resources in response to a rapidly changing situation," says university spokesman Peter Reader, commenting on the almost military scale operation required to track down students and staff at risk. The first death, that of 18 year old arts student Melissa Irvine, was believed to be a sporadic case of meningitis. How-ever, after two more students died the local health authority offered vaccination and prophylactic ciprofloxacin to all 1250 first year students at risk in the Wessex Lane halls of residence, where the outbreak occurred. It is thought that 98% of these students have been vaccinated and given antibiotics.

A telephone helpline set up by the university took 1500 calls from concerned parents and students. Three male students who were admitted to hospital with the disease have since recovered and been discharged from hospital. To allay fears and anxieties of other staff and students not immediately at risk, the university set up its own vaccination centre on 5 November, offering the vaccine to all 13 411 students and 4500 staff. "We've had no further cases since that one on 2 November,"said Mr Reader.

By contrast, Portsmouth University adopted a cautious approach to vaccination after the death of 19 year old Edward Kitchin--31 students considered to be at risk were offered oral ciprofloxacin prophylactically but were not vaccinated. "Laboratory tests confirm that the case was meningococcal C meningitis," said John Bagnall, spokesman for the university. It is thought that the case was an isolated one, and the student lived away from the university. "In the circumstances, the local authority advises us that it is not necessary to vaccinate students and that vaccination could diminish the effect of a new vaccine expected on the market," Mr Bagnall said, adding that the university was keeping the situation under review.

Concerned about the number of deaths, the Meningitis Research Foundation has launched a meningitis awareness campaign directed at first year undergraduates. Information flyers warning students about symptoms were distributed to branches of the National Union of Students during fresher's week.

"We won't see a conjugate-C vaccine before the year 2000 and the current vaccine is only effective against 40% of disease, so the best defence is an awareness of symptoms," said Linda Glennie, the foundation's information officer.

"The earlier it is recognised the better the chance of survival," she said. "It's critical that people get the information and you explain to people what the disease is all about. People don't take any notice until it happens in their place. Students think they're immortal and they're not terribly health aware." (See p 451.)

Additional reporting by Carmel McHenry, studentBMJ