Immunizations for the college student: A campus perspective of an outbreak and national and international considerations

Although VPDs have declined to record-low levels throughout the United States, immunizations continue to play an important role in the health and well-being of the college student population. Meningococcal disease, in particular, has been associated with certain risk factors at colleges and universities. College students lacking immunity to a VPD, such as measles or varicella, could, if infected, cause a campus-wide outbreak leading to significant morbidity and potential mortality. With outbreaks there is disruption of educational activities besides universities incurring additional expenses in controlling the problem. Although PIRs may vary from state to state and from institution to institution, they have been shown to reduce campus-wide outbreaks and are recommended by national organizations. Therefore, it is essential that by implementing effective policies, administrators encourage the use of these safe and effective vaccines on college campuses to further reduce the risk of students contracting a VPD.