Meningococcal
Vaccines
Protecting
you from Bacterial Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection
of the fluid surrounding the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis is usually
caused by a virus or bacterial infection. Bacterial meningitis is usually more
severe than viral meningitis. For bacterial meningitis, it is also important to
know which type of bacteria is causing the meningitis. Vaccines are available
to help protect against some forms bacterial meningitis. Neisseria
meningitidis is one type of bacteria that causes both meningitis and
a serious blood infection called meningococcal disease. Anyone can get meningococcal
disease. It is most common in infants less than one year of age and people with
certain medical conditions, such as someone who has had their spleen removed.
College freshmen who live in dormitories also have an increased risk of getting
meningococcal disease. Meningococcal
infections can be treated with drugs such as penicillin. Still, about 1 out of
every ten people who get the disease may die from it, and many others are affected
for life. They may lose their arms or legs, become deaf, have problems with their
nervous systems, become mentally impaired, or suffer seizures or strokes. This
is why preventing the disease through use of meningococcal vaccines is important
for people at highest risk. The
Meningococcal Vaccines MCV-4
(meningococcal conjugate vaccine)
MCV4 vaccine is experiencing a high
volume of demand. Vaccine is being allocated in both the public and private sectors
based on estimates of monthly needs as well as available supply. The supply and
demand mismatch is expected to be short term. Updates on supply and allocations
will be provided when available. More
• Licensed for use in the United States in early 2005
• Licensed
for people age 11 to 55 years of age
• Expected to provide longer-lasting
protection from meningococcal disease
• May also be better at preventing
the spread of disease from person to person MPSV-4
(meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine)
• Used in the United States
since the 1970s
• Licensed for children older than 2 years of age as
well as adolescents and adults.
Both
vaccines - Protect
more than 90 percent of those who get the vaccine.
- Prevent
4 types of meningococcal disease, including 2 of the 3 types most common in the
United States and a type that causes epidemics in Africa.
Meningococcal
vaccines cannot prevent all types of the disease. But they do protect many people
who might become sick if they didn't get the vaccine.
Who
Should Get the New Vaccine? The
new vaccine, MCV-4, is recommended for: Adolescents
- 11 -
12-year-olds at their routine preadolescent check-up
- If
not previously vaccinated, adolescents should be vaccinated before they enter
high school, at around 15 years of age
- Other
adolescents who want to lower their risk of meningococcal disease
People
who have an elevated risk of meningococcal disease - College
freshmen living in dormitories
- Microbiologists
who are routinely exposed to isolates of N. meningitidis
- Military
recruits
- People
who travel to, or live in countries where meningococcal disease is very common.
- Anyone
whose spleen has been damaged or removed and persons with certain other immune
system disorders.
- Persons
advised to receive vaccination during an outbreak
Who
Should NOT Get the New Vaccine? - Anyone
who has ever had a severe (life-threatening) allergic reaction to a previous dose
of either meningococcal vaccine should not get another dose.
- Anyone
who has a severe (life threatening) allergy to any vaccine component should not
get the vaccine. Tell your doctor if you have any severe allergies.
- Anyone
who is moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled should probably
wait until they recover. Ask your doctor or nurse. People with a mild illness
can usually get the vaccine.
- Meningococcal
vaccines may be given to pregnant women. However, MCV-4 is a new vaccine and has
not been studied in pregnant women as much as MPSV-4 has.
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/
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SUSCRIBASE 
