Students and other MSU community members should not be alarmed by the Aventis company's recall of a batch of its meningitis vaccine that was partially used by Olin Health Center staff to vaccinate more than 2,000 students.

Likewise, current and future students should not allow the problem to discourage them from being vaccinated against a disease that has proven deadly at campuses across the nation, including at MSU. Any protection from deadly diseases is better than none at all.

Aventis found that a batch of its vaccine, which is supposed to protect against four of the five known strains of bacterial meningitis - A, C, Y and W-135 - was not completely effective in fighting the A strain of the infection. There is not a vaccine against the B strain of the disease.

Meningitis is a viral or bacterial infection of the brain and spinal linings. The bacterial form, known as meningococcal disease, can be life-threatening. Symptoms include sore throat, high fever, headache, neck and back stiffness, rashes and mental changes, such as agitation, confusion and coma.

Meningitis can be contracted through the exchange of bodily fluids by means such as kissing and sharing eating utensils.

Three MSU students have died after contracting meningitis since December 1996; two other students recovered after treatment. In December 1996, economics junior Jeffrey Paga died of a B-strain infection. Three months later, landscape architecture junior Brian Anderson died of a C-strain infection. And Matthew Knueppel, a 25-year-old first-year food service management student in the School of Hospitality Business, died in January from the C strain of meningitis.

Aventis is paying for the revaccinations of those traveling to Saudi Arabia and certain countries in Africa, or those working in direct contact with bacterial meningitis.

The company's recall should not cause worry or panic and MSU students and administrators should continue to promote vaccinations for current and future Spartans.