Meningitis Vaccine: Who Needs It & When?

Meningitis is a potentially fatal disease that causes swelling of the lining that protects the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis vaccines are important for certain categories of people to protect against the bacteria that cause meningitis.

Categories

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all children between the ages of 11 and 18 receive a meningitis vaccine. Military recruits, college students living in dormitories, people traveling to sub-Saharan Africa or other areas where meningitis is prevalent, people with immune system disorders or damaged spleens and anyone who has been exposed to meningitis should also be immunized.

Types

• Menactra and Menomune are the two meningitis vaccines available in the United States. Both vaccines can protect against four out of the five types of meningitis bacteria. Menactra is the first choice of vaccine for people ages 11 to 55.

Considerations

• The effects of Menactra on pregnant women has not been determined, so pregnant women should receive the other vaccine, Menomune. Patients should advise their doctors of any illnesses, severe allergies and past diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome before being immunized.

Warning

• People who have had a severe allergic reaction to a meningitis vaccination or latex should not be vaccinated. Some people who receive Menactra have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, though it is unclear whether the diagnosis is linked to the vaccine.

Statistics

• Vaccination is especially important in teens and young adults. According to WebMD, one-third of all meningitis cases in the United States each year are in teens and young adults. Ten to 15 percent of people diagnosed with meningitis die from the disease, even with treatment.