Western student gets meningitis
University Relations
Issue date: 12/1/03 Section: News
* What is the treatment for meningococcal disease?
Antibiotics‚ such as penicillin G or ceftriaxone‚ can be used to treat people with meningococcal disease.
* Is there a vaccine to prevent meningococcal meningitis?
Yes‚ a safe and effective vaccine is available. The vaccine is 85 to 100 percent effective in preventing four kinds of bacteria (serogroups A‚ C‚ Y‚ W-135) that cause about 70 percent of the disease in the United States.
* Is the vaccine safe? Are there adverse side effects to the vaccine?
The vaccine is safe‚ with mild and infrequent side effects‚ such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two days.
* What is the duration of protection from the vaccine?
After vaccination‚ immunity develops within seven to 10 days and remains effective for approximately three to five years. As with any vaccine‚ vaccination against meningitis may not protect 100 percent of all susceptible individuals.
* How do I get more information about meningococcal disease and vaccination?
Contact a family physician or student health service. Additional information is also available on the Web sites of the New York State Department of Health‚ www.health.state.ny.us; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/ncid/dbmd/diseaseinfo; and the American College Health Association‚ www.acha.org.
Antibiotics‚ such as penicillin G or ceftriaxone‚ can be used to treat people with meningococcal disease.
* Is there a vaccine to prevent meningococcal meningitis?
Yes‚ a safe and effective vaccine is available. The vaccine is 85 to 100 percent effective in preventing four kinds of bacteria (serogroups A‚ C‚ Y‚ W-135) that cause about 70 percent of the disease in the United States.
* Is the vaccine safe? Are there adverse side effects to the vaccine?
The vaccine is safe‚ with mild and infrequent side effects‚ such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two days.
* What is the duration of protection from the vaccine?
After vaccination‚ immunity develops within seven to 10 days and remains effective for approximately three to five years. As with any vaccine‚ vaccination against meningitis may not protect 100 percent of all susceptible individuals.
* How do I get more information about meningococcal disease and vaccination?
Contact a family physician or student health service. Additional information is also available on the Web sites of the New York State Department of Health‚ www.health.state.ny.us; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/ncid/dbmd/diseaseinfo; and the American College Health Association‚ www.acha.org.
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