Meningitis warning

New guidelines about how universities should deal with a meningitis outbreak have been issued amid warnings that first-year students are most at risk.

Universities UK said that 2,000 cases of meningococcal meningitis were reported each year and that 15 to 19-year-olds were the highest risk group after the under-fives.

The guidelines urge universities to ensure that they have "good channels of communication" with students and "effective support arrangements" with GPs and local health services.

Details: http:///bookshop.universitiesuk. ac.uk/show/show.aspx?id=218; www.meningitis.org/index.jsp?page=/content.jsp?sectno=5&subno=9