The C strain of meningitis has killed 15 students in the last academic year, and the infection rate of 10 per 100,000 is roughly double the rate of that in the general population of 18- to 25-year-olds.

A London conference, to be attended by further education establishments from across the country, has been organised by Southampton University, where three students died from meningitis during an outbreak last autumn.

The university authorities have already decided to advise all 3,000 freshers to get vaccinated next autumn on the recommendation of the consultant who led an investigation into the outbreak.

Nobody knows why a total of six students contracted the disease at Southampton.

Freshers are being targeted for vaccination because they appear to be more vulnerable to the disease.

This could be because they are encountering new bugs for the first time, and because they are unused to living in close proximity with strangers.

Professor Howard Newby, Southampton University vice-chancellor, said all students living in halls of residence would be advised to get vaccinated.

Traumatic events

He said: "The meningitis outbreak was the most traumatic event in our working lives.

"The nature of the disease is such that we must continue to plan for other possible incidents of meningitis, and to ensure that we have done all we can to protect the university community."

Julia Warren, of the Meningitis Research Foundation, welcomed the decision by Southampton University, but warned that vaccinating all students would be inappropriate.

"The vaccine is not terribly effective. There is a certain amount of vaccine failure, it only lasts for 2-3 years and it only vaccinates against the C-strain which is responsible for 40% of infections. There is no vaccine for the B-strain which causes 60% of infections.

"Action should be taken where there is a particular problem, but we would not want all students feeling complacent that they had been protected because they had been vaccinated."

Kill within hours

Meningococcal meningitis, caused by a bacteria, can kill within hours.

About one in 10 of the population at any one time carries the bacteria in the back of the nose and throat with no harmful effects. The reason why the bacteria can suddenly become a lethal threat is unclear.