MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINES RECOMMENDED FOR PRETEENS AND TEENS
MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINES RECOMMENDED FOR PRETEENS AND TEENS
Wisconsin Act 221 requires each school district to inform parents/guardians for all students enrolled in grades 6 to 12 with information about meningococcal disease.
Talk with your teen’s clinician about meningococcal vaccination to help protect your child’s health. Meningococcal disease is a very serious illness where death can occur in as little as a few hours.
Meningococcal disease is not very common in the United States, but can be devastating and often—and unexpectedly—strikes otherwise healthy people. The good news is that there are licensed vaccines to help prevent the most common serogroups ("strains") of meningococcal disease in the United States (B, C, and Y)
Meningococcal Vaccines Recommended for Preteens and Teens:
All 11 to 12 year olds should be vaccinated with a single dose of a quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine. A booster dose is recommended at age 16 so teens continue to have protection during the ages when they are at highest risk of meningococcal disease. This vaccine helps protect against serogroups A, C, W, and Y, but not serogroup B. If your teenager missed getting a dose, ask the doctor about getting it now.
Teens and young adults (16 through 23 year olds) may also be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine, preferably at 16 through 18 years old. Two or three doses of a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine are needed, depending on the brand, and the same brand must be used for all doses. Talk with your teen’s clinician if you are interested in serogroup B meningococcal vaccination.
Vaccination Side Effects and Risks:
About half of the people who get a quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine have mild problems following vaccination, such as redness or pain where the shot was given or a mild fever. These reactions usually get better on their own within 1 to 2 days, but serious reactions are possible.
Following serogroup B meningococcal vaccination, more than half of the people who get the vaccine will have mild problems:
Meningococcal Disease and Symptoms:
Meningococcal disease refers to any illness that is caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. The two most severe and common illnesses caused by these bacteria include infections of the areas around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream infections (bacteremia or septicemia).
Symptoms of meningococcal disease may include sudden onset of a high fever, headache, or stiff neck. It can start with symptoms similar to influenza (flu), and will often also cause nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, rash, and confusion. If you think you or your child has any of these symptoms, call the doctor right away.
Treatment, and Complications:
Early diagnosis and treatment are very important. Meningococcal disease can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. However, even with antibiotic treatment, 10 to 15 out of 100 people with meningococcal disease will die. About 11 to 19 out of every 100 survivors will have long-term disabilities, such as loss of limb(s), deafness, nervous system problems, or brain damage.
Meningococcal Disease Spreads from Person to Person:
The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are spread from person to person by sharing respiratory secretions (such as saliva, by kissing or coughing) during close or lengthy contact, especially among people who share a room or live in the same household. Although anyone can get meningococcal disease, teens and young adults are at increased risk.
People can "carry" the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease without getting sick. Being a carrier means that the bacteria live in the nose and throat, but do not invade the body and make someone sick. Carriers do not have any symptoms of meningococcal disease. Since the bacteria are most often spread by people who are carriers, most cases of meningococcal disease (97 or 98 out of 100) appear to be random and aren't linked to other cases. However, anyone who is a close contact of a person who has been diagnosed with meningococcal disease is at highest risk for getting the infection. People who qualify as close contacts of a person with meningococcal disease should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease. This is known as prophylaxis (pro-fuh-lak-sis).
Meningococcal outbreaks can occur in communities, schools, colleges, prisons, and other populations. Very few (2 or 3 out of 100) cases occur as part of an outbreak.
More Information
Wisconsin Act 221 requires each school district to inform parents/guardians for all students enrolled in grades 6 to 12 with information about meningococcal disease.
Talk with your teen’s clinician about meningococcal vaccination to help protect your child’s health. Meningococcal disease is a very serious illness where death can occur in as little as a few hours.
Meningococcal disease is not very common in the United States, but can be devastating and often—and unexpectedly—strikes otherwise healthy people. The good news is that there are licensed vaccines to help prevent the most common serogroups ("strains") of meningococcal disease in the United States (B, C, and Y)
Meningococcal Vaccines Recommended for Preteens and Teens:
All 11 to 12 year olds should be vaccinated with a single dose of a quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine. A booster dose is recommended at age 16 so teens continue to have protection during the ages when they are at highest risk of meningococcal disease. This vaccine helps protect against serogroups A, C, W, and Y, but not serogroup B. If your teenager missed getting a dose, ask the doctor about getting it now.
Teens and young adults (16 through 23 year olds) may also be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine, preferably at 16 through 18 years old. Two or three doses of a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine are needed, depending on the brand, and the same brand must be used for all doses. Talk with your teen’s clinician if you are interested in serogroup B meningococcal vaccination.
Vaccination Side Effects and Risks:
About half of the people who get a quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine have mild problems following vaccination, such as redness or pain where the shot was given or a mild fever. These reactions usually get better on their own within 1 to 2 days, but serious reactions are possible.
Following serogroup B meningococcal vaccination, more than half of the people who get the vaccine will have mild problems:
- Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Headache
- Muscle or joint pain
- Fever or chills
- Nausea or diarrhea
Meningococcal Disease and Symptoms:
Meningococcal disease refers to any illness that is caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. The two most severe and common illnesses caused by these bacteria include infections of the areas around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream infections (bacteremia or septicemia).
Symptoms of meningococcal disease may include sudden onset of a high fever, headache, or stiff neck. It can start with symptoms similar to influenza (flu), and will often also cause nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, rash, and confusion. If you think you or your child has any of these symptoms, call the doctor right away.
Treatment, and Complications:
Early diagnosis and treatment are very important. Meningococcal disease can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. However, even with antibiotic treatment, 10 to 15 out of 100 people with meningococcal disease will die. About 11 to 19 out of every 100 survivors will have long-term disabilities, such as loss of limb(s), deafness, nervous system problems, or brain damage.
Meningococcal Disease Spreads from Person to Person:
The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are spread from person to person by sharing respiratory secretions (such as saliva, by kissing or coughing) during close or lengthy contact, especially among people who share a room or live in the same household. Although anyone can get meningococcal disease, teens and young adults are at increased risk.
People can "carry" the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease without getting sick. Being a carrier means that the bacteria live in the nose and throat, but do not invade the body and make someone sick. Carriers do not have any symptoms of meningococcal disease. Since the bacteria are most often spread by people who are carriers, most cases of meningococcal disease (97 or 98 out of 100) appear to be random and aren't linked to other cases. However, anyone who is a close contact of a person who has been diagnosed with meningococcal disease is at highest risk for getting the infection. People who qualify as close contacts of a person with meningococcal disease should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease. This is known as prophylaxis (pro-fuh-lak-sis).
Meningococcal outbreaks can occur in communities, schools, colleges, prisons, and other populations. Very few (2 or 3 out of 100) cases occur as part of an outbreak.
More Information
- Meningococcal disease information: http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/index.html
- Meningococcal vaccination: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/mening/default.htm
- Meningococcal disease outbreaks: http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/outbreaks/index.html
- Preteen and teen vaccines: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/who/teens/index.html
- CDC vaccination resources for parents: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/index.html
- Walworth County Public Health Department: 262-741-3140.
