The University of Oregon opened a mass vaccination clinic Monday in a campaign against a blood stream infection that can cause a form of meningitis, called meningococcemia.

So far, nearly 3,000 students have received the vaccine. The university hopes to inoculate thousands more this week in a partnership with local health officials.

The disease is believed to be responsible for the death of one student and for making three other students seriously ill this winter.

University staff and volunteers will sign up students for health insurance and some uninsured students will get free vaccine that was donated.

Associated Press

Risk factor cited for rheumatoid arthritis

Research shows that people with family members who have rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have it themselves.

But new drugs are giving some hope and allowing people to live full lives.

They're called biologic drugs and they have been developed over the past 15 years.

The drugs help reduce inflammation by targeting different parts of the immune system

"The estimates are up to a half-percent to 1 percent of the population suffers from, it but that's probably, maybe, six times that risk if you have a first-degree relative with Rheumatoid Arthritis," said Dr. Jonathan Waltuck of the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. The goal is to reduce the inflammation and prevent bone damage with medication.