GOING off to university is always such an exciting time; a new start, new friends and so much to experience. For all first-time students, and their parents, making sure everything has been bought, thought of, and in place is essential to ensure a safe start.

Aside from all the other preparations, making sure you are protected from meningitis is probably one of the most important things to do to keep you safe in those first few weeks and months.

Over the past 15 years, health professionals have seen meningitis cases drop in all strains except Meningitis W which has increased from 22 cases in 2009 to 117 in 2014.

Meningitis W typically occurs in young adults and students living in close accommodation. It is a particularly aggressive form of meningitis, with a high death rate, causing both meningitis and septicaemia.

The majority of cases in students occur in the first few weeks at university, when exposure to new bacteria and illnesses are most prevalent.

Meningitis W is spread through saliva and therefore highly contagious when living in close proximity.

Early signs of the disease include severe headache, muscle pains, fever, cold hands and feet and a pinprick rash that doesn’t fade with pressure (such as rolling a glass over the skin).

Prevention of meningitis is through vaccination and in this case receiving Men ACWY which is offered to older pupils at school and first-time students. This vaccination is not the same as the vaccination that was given when a current student was a baby or young child, which wouldn’t cover meningitis W.

Many students will already have been vaccinated in catch-up programmes in their teenage years but, for anyone who hasn’t, it is essential to get this vaccination before starting university.

Your patient records (held by GP surgeries and to which many patients now have online access) have a section where all vaccinations given to you (even those given at school or in the community) are recorded. This way you can check, or the surgery can check, whether you have had the vaccination.

Further information can be found on the surgery website by searching under meningitis, this can be accessed by anyone in the community.