Karen Jones gets a meningitis vaccine at Xavier University's health center. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

Legislation that would require all Ohio college students to receive meningitis vaccines or sign a waiver saying they understand the infection risks is expected to come before an Ohio House committee in early December.

While the bill has no opposition so far, its passage remains doubtful because there's little time left before the Legislature adjourns Dec. 31.

"The odds of that (passing) this year, of it getting through the Senate, is about nil," said Rep. John Hagan, R-Alliance, who introduced the legislation in March.

More than a dozen states have passed similar legislation.

Meningitis, an inflammation of the lining that surrounds the brain, has received increased national attention in the past two years. The type most concerning to college students and their parents is meningococcal meningitis because, while it is rare, it is often fatal.

A series of studies have shown that freshmen living in dorms have up to a six-fold increase in risk, according to the Meningitis Foundation of America. Because of these studies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that college students consider vaccination against meningococcal meningitis.

Theresa Jones's daughter, Karen, is a freshman at Xavier University. Because she is a radiology technology major and works in a hospital, she had to get the shot. The shot put her mother's mind at ease.

"It's an illness that can kill if they don't cure it right away," Ms. Jones said.

Fourteen states have passed legislation that requires one of three things:

The vaccination of college students.

That college students sign a statement acknowledging that they understand the disease and the vaccine.

That colleges provide information to students about the vaccine.

Under Mr. Hagan's bill, students at both public and private schools would pay for the vaccinations, which cost up to $80, and colleges would incur the cost of providing the waivers.

The vaccine, which is effective for three to five years, has prompted debate.

On one side are parents and grandparents such as Roy Kepferle of Paddock Hills, whose 18-year-old grandson Patrick died from meningitis in 2000, when he was a freshman at Towson University in Maryland. Mr. Kepferle plans to testify before the committee in support of the Ohio legislation.

These relatives point to casualties of a disease than can often manifest itself with flulike symptoms. They point to these statistics:

Meningococcal meningitis strikes about 3,000 Americans each year, causing more than 300 deaths annually.

On college campuses, 100 to 125 cases of meningococcal meningitis occur every year and five to 15 of those students die as a result.

On the other side are some college health directors who say resources allocated for meningitis vaccines would be better spent addressing other problems.

No Tristate schools require students to take the vaccine before moving into a dorm, but all offer information about meningitis.

Dr. John Andrews, director of university health services at the University of Cincinnati sees flaws in making the practice mandatory.

"From the cost-benefit perspective, if I had the resources, I'd put them toward something else," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.