Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
14 August 2025 | 13:15 CAT
3 min read

It was a Saturday like any other at Stellenbosch University, until tragedy struck. Nineteen-year-old theology student, Chris Scheffer, was found dead in his residence room. The cause: meningococcal meningitis, a rare but devastating bacterial infection that can claim a life within hours.

His passing has left the campus community grieving, while raising urgent questions about how the disease spreads, how to spot it early and what is being done to protect students.

Dr Craig Thompson, head of Stellenbosch University’s Campus Health Services, said the Department of Health confirmed the case after Scheffer’s death. “We were informed late on Monday evening that the cause in this particular case was most probably meningococcal meningitis. Once informed, we then had to put in place all the procedures as determined by the Department of Health nationally and locally,” he explained.

Campus Health did not see Scheffer before his death. “He was obviously sick and didn’t seek help at Campus Health. From reports, he didn’t seek help anywhere else… and then when he wasn’t around for a while, people went to look for him,” Dr Thompson said.

Understanding the disease

Meningitis refers to inflammation of the meninges, the lining around the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, which can also cause other serious conditions. “Up to 5 – 10 % of us can carry this type of bacterium in the back of our throats without causing any problems,” said Dr Thompson.

It is unpredictable who will fall ill. “It’s a complex kind of interaction between the host and their current immunity, the organism, and the environment. From morning to evening, you can see two very different cases, and by the next day, if you don’t seek help, you could be in some medical trouble,” he warned.

Risk factors include close living arrangements, such as in university residences, and exposure to tobacco smoke. While cases can occur year-round, they tend to peak in early winter.

Preventing further spread

Once a case is confirmed or suspected, Campus Health works with the Department of Health to trace close contacts, those who share a room, bathroom or dining facilities with the patient. “You would focus on the people who are in his immediate area within about the preceding week,” Dr Thompson explained.

These close contacts are offered chemoprophylaxis, preventive antibiotics. “Thankfully, we can use a preventative type measure in the short term to try and prevent others from getting acute disease. Those close contacts only. Nobody else,” he said.

Vaccines against meningococcal meningitis exist but are not included in South Africa’s public immunisation schedule. Dr Thompson said this is partly due to the varying strains in circulation. “There are various serotypes; only a few will cause severe disease. In the Western Cape, strain B has been most prevalent. The current vaccine Menactra covers A, C, Y, and W, so if your circulating strains don’t have any of those, it’s not going to be that effective in that area,” he noted.

Vaccination remains a personal choice. “I have two children who have gone through the university and I’ve chosen personally to vaccinate them,” he said, adding that while it can give peace of mind, it comes at a cost.

No outbreak, but vigilance needed

Dr Thompson stressed that this was an isolated case. “It’s not an outbreak. We dealt with the close contacts as best we could, and there have been no secondary cases,” he said.

Basic hygiene practices, including handwashing, mask use when sick and sanitising, remain key in reducing the spread. “Very basic health measures can prevent a lot of these things,” he emphasised.

Since COVID-19, meningococcal disease rates in South Africa are rising again, but remain low. In Dr Thompson’s 16 years at Stellenbosch, this is the third case involving a student.

While the loss of Scheffer is deeply felt, Dr Thompson wants students to remember that the vast majority of health issues on campus are mild and manageable. “All we want is for students to be academically successful, but also successful in that transition from teenage years into adult years. A lot of the lessons they pick up at university, they’ll carry into their future careers and lives,” he said.

LISTEN to the full interview with Muallimah Annisa Essack and Dr Craig Thompson, head of Stellenbosch University’s Campus Health Services, here.