The father of a Texas A&M junior who died of bacterial meningitis says he plans to push the Legislature to require that all students at Texas universities be vaccinated against the fast-moving infection.
Nicolis "Nico" Williams, a 20-year-old economics major from Sugar Land, complained about flulike symptoms on Monday. He was taken to the hospital on Tuesday, and he died Friday.
The university said in statements this week that one unnamed student had been hospitalized for bacterial meningitis, and no other cases had been reported. Classmates and faculty of the student were notified, and free antibiotics were administered to those believed to have come in contact with him. State law that requires the meningococcal vaccine for first-time, on-campus college students did not apply to Williams because he lived off-campus.
The disease is highly contagious. Symptoms include an abrupt onset of fever, a stiff neck and an altered mental status, including confusion or being difficult to arouse.
Greg Williams, an administrator at Texas Southern University in Houston, praised the staff at College Station Medical Center and said he could see why his son loved being at A&M.
