Meningitis
Updated: 16 March 2026
Various strains of meningococcal bacteria cause a rare disease either by “blood poisoning” (septicaemia) and/or “meningitis” (infection of the membranes around the brain), both of which are potentially fatal.
Meningococci are transmitted by droplet aerosol or secretions from the nasopharynx of colonised persons. Close and prolonged contact – e.g. kissing, sneezing or coughing on someone, or living in close quarters, sharing eating/drinking utensils – facilitates the spread of the bacteria. The bacteria attach to and multiply on the mucosal cells of the nasopharynx. It is believed that 10–20 per cent of the population carries meningitis bacteria at any given time. In a small number (less than 1 per cent) of colonised persons, the organism penetrates the mucosal cells and enters the bloodstream causing disease as above.
Meningitis B and ACWY vaccines are fully funded for NZ residents aged 13–25 years entering college accommodation.
We strongly recommend all students, particularly those living in residential colleges, be vaccinated against meningococcal disease before coming to Dunedin. Historically, there are at least one or two cases among students at the University of Otago annually. Vaccination will provide very good levels of protection but unfortunately there is not a single vaccine that covers all meningitis strains.
Three injections are required to provide optimal protection against current circulating strains of meningococcal disease: two of the meningitis B vaccine, which are usually eight weeks apart, and one of the meningitis ACWY vaccine.
Read more about Meningitis on Healthify
Read more about Meningococcal disease on Healthify
No vaccine is ever 100 per cent guaranteed to protect against disease. It is important that people who have symptoms suggestive of meningococcal disease or are seriously ill access medical care as soon as possible. Friends and flatmates should be ready to look after each other and know how to access urgent health care.
For more information about vaccine charges:
How much does it cost at Student Health?
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
There has been an increase in pertussis in our community. Pertussis usually starts with cold symptoms and a mild cough and then progresses to a paroxysmal cough which can induce vomiting. It can last up to three months.
Young children and babies are most at risk of developing breathing problems, pneumonia and in some cases brain damage from pertussis.
If you have been in contact with someone who has probable or confirmed pertussis and/or you have symptoms of possible pertussis please see a GP as soon as possible.
Early treatment with antibiotics can reduce the severity of the disease and vaccination of close contacts reduces the spread of infection.
Current advice is that adults should be offered booster vaccination (not funded) especially those working with young children, pregnant women and babies.
Pregnant women should be offered vaccination in the last trimester of each pregnancy to protect their new-born.
Read more about whooping cough on Healthify
Measles
Measles is a very infectious viral illness (easily spread from person to person) that can lead to serious complications for tamariki and adults.
The measles virus lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person and can be easily spread through coughing and sneezing.
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your whānau and community from catching and spreading measles.
Symptoms of measles
Symptoms usually take about 7 to 10 days to appear after you've caught the virus.
Usual symptoms in the first few days of being unwell:
- Fever (temperature above 38°C)
- Runny nose (or blocked nose)
- Cough
- Loss of appetite
- Sore and watery pink eyes
- You may also get white spots inside your mouth
3 to 7 days after the first symptoms people start to develop a rash.
- The rash starts on your head or face, often at your hairline or behind your ears, and then spreads to your body and then to your arms and legs.
- You usually feel most unwell a day or two after the appearance of the rash.
The rash will fade after about a week, leaving a slight mark on the skin, but this won't be permanent. You are no longer at risk of passing on measles to others 4 days after you developed your rash.
If you catch measles, you’re infectious (can spread the virus) from 4 days before the rash appears and for 4 days after the rash appears.
Student Health encourages students to check their vaccination history with their home GP or on My Health Record and book for an MMR vaccine if they have had fewer than 2 doses.
You are considered immune to measles if you have proof of 2 doses of the MMR vaccine. People born before 1969 or who have evidence of having measles previously are also considered immune.
If you are worried you may have been in contact with someone who has measles, or that you have measles, please phone Healthline or Student Health for advice before coming into the clinic.
Healthline
Tel 0800 611 116
Student Health
Tel 0800 479 821
For more information