After two people died from a meningitis outbreak in the UK, a mother has claimed that her daughter caught the infection after sharing a vape.
Students at the University of Kent were put on high alert following an 'invasive' outbreak of a meningitis B strain which is not covered by the most common ACWY vaccine, with a further nine confirmed cases and 11 probable cases as of 19 March.
Meningitis often causes fever, severe headaches and rashes and can soon become serious if left untreated, with hundreds of students lining up to pick up potentially life-saving antibiotics this week.
More than 2000 people have been urged to seek urgent treatment after attending 'Club Chemistry' over three days in early March, and it was there that 22-year-old Keeleigh Goodwin thinks her symptoms started after she shared a vape with a friend who was presenting symptoms.
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Her mother Khali has now suggested that she is recovering in hospital after a terrifying experience and is urging others to be cautious about passing on symptoms amid the ongoing outbreak.
Speaking to The Sun, the mum-of-six said: "She did say that one of her friends also has sort of the same symptoms, obviously not as bad, but they’ve been sharing a vape. I think sharing vapes is a major way of it being passed."
Authorities don't currently list vaping as way in which the infection can be passed on however it is viable given that it spreads via saliva and droplets, which are more likely to be exchanged when sharing utensils.
Andrew Preston, a professor of microbial pathogenicity at the University of Bath, added: "If you share a contaminated vape, it’s going to go into the back of throat, but to cause the disease, it then has to cross from within the nasal pharynx over that quite strong barrier.
"So I wonder if the vaping itself has caused weakening of the barrier, and the bugs are then able to move across when normally they can’t. That’s pure speculation."
The health secretary Wes Streeting did however include it in his list of ways in which the infection could be transferred, saying: "It doesn't spread very easily. The bacteria is passed to others after a long period of close contact, for example, living with someone in shared accommodation, through prolonged kissing or sharing vapes and drinks."
However, that's little consolation for Khali and her daughter, as she suggests that she could have died if it wasn't for the swift actions of her housemate.
Khali added: "Luckily she lives in shared accommodation. The girl who found her rang an ambulance, which got there really quick. If it wasn’t for that girl, she wouldn’t be here. She was really bad.
"I never, in a million trillion years, ever thought it would be this. Never. She had a lumbar puncture and CT scans and stuff… and when it came back I said, ‘How? How has she got that, she’s protected?’ But it didn’t come out until 2015, this vaccine.
"She’s said she can’t see herself ever going out again. It’s absolutely frightened the life out of her."
The University has also issued a statement following the tragic death of one of its students.
A spokesperson for the University of Kent said: "We are deeply saddened to confirm that one student from the University of Kent has died following a case of invasive meningitis.
"Our thoughts are with the student’s family, friends and the wider university community at this extremely difficult time.
"The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority. We are working closely with public health teams and are in touch with staff and students to ensure they get the advice and support they need."
James Moorhouse