From what I read Men B is much more common outside of the US, but with international student attendance rising and more students participating in study abroad, the risk of contracting it has increased for US students.
Previously there was no vaccine available for Men B. Now there is.
Two years ago when the Men B vaccine was newly available in the US, I struggled with the decision whether I should have my D get it. I also worried about lack of longterm studies on safety and effectiveness.
But in the end I was not willing to take a chance that she would contract Men B if it could possibly be prevented.
Even if the effectiveness was less than 100% and protection only lasting for a year, I found it would be worth it.
It is recommended for students living in residence halls. Most schools don’t require it, but parents should seriously consider it.
Some deaths have occurred in people who had underlying conditions.
Smoking, drinking, and patronizing bars are risk factors.
from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt08-mening.html The relative importance of each serogroup varies by age; serogroup B causes over 60% of cases in children <5 years of age, while serogroups C, Y, and W135 cause 75% of all cases of meningococcal disease among persons ≥11 years of age.
For those with autoimmune diseases, vaccines always cause a spike in autoimmunity since they rev the immune system. For family members with lupus and other disorders, we take vaccination decisions very seriously and effectiveness needs to balance side effects of the vaccine, as does risk of infection.
We live in a small town and our health clinic did not stock it. I phoned Walgreens and they had it, much to my surprise. They said she can walk in and get it on Wednesday.
Last year over winter break they were sent home with the warning to take any mumps symptoms seriously as there were students with mumps.
The Men B vaccine isn’t recommended for the general population. When I tell people to get vaccinated, I’m referring to the regular men vaccine that most college students get.
I have to weigh the vaccines carefully too because of my lupus and the immune suppression medicine I take to control it. My partner and roommate have to talk with our doctors too before deciding which vaccines they can get. (Luckily we all have the same PCP so it makes life easier).
I have an appointment with my rheumatologist on Wednesday and vaccines are on the list of things we’ll be going over. There’s currently a Hep A outbreak around us
@compmom My brother had meningitis, wound up in a coma, and though he recovered he was left disabled. It literally ruined his life. I’ve had my child vaccinated, and even if it provides on 30% protection, that is better than nothing. People need to realize what a dangerous disease this is. It can kill within hours and spreads rapidly. Google what has happened at some universities in Wales.
I don’t take public transportation that much anymore because handicapped parking is easier than the bus lol. I do, however, frequent restaurants and that’s where several cases have popped up.
I’ve told this story before but I’ll tell it again. When I was in undergrad, a woman in my dorm died of meningitis. She died less than 24 hours after showing symptoms. She thought it was just a flu. As soon as her roommate realized something was actually wrong, she got rushed to the hospital but it was already too late. She was fine one night and dead the next. It’s terrifying.
exlibris so sorry about your brother. I was talking with a person whose sibling died overnight of meningitis, just last week. I have always been aware of the way bacterial meningitis goes. That said, with a kid with two serious autoimmune disorders, the decision to vaccinate is always complicated.
An 11-year-old at a sleepaway camp my kids used to attend died of bacterial meningitis while at camp this past summer. Everyone was quick to blame the camp (sue! shut it down!) but the camp brought him to the hospital very quickly after showing symptoms. They gave antibiotics to the rest of the kids in the bunk as a precaution. According to the CDC, death can occur within a few hours of showing symptoms. Very scary.
@compmom Precisely why it is so important that other people vaccinate their children. Herd immunity. People who don’t vaccinate are putting your child at risk.
A previous poster said that herd immunity has not been demonstrated with this vaccine, due to the drop in protective antibodies one year after the shot (and up to 48 months).
My daughter did not have the meningitis vaccine or the Hep B ones before college (her doctor wrote a note), but has had them since.
Got a notice from my kid’s school today. It’s in a consortium of 5 colleges and a student at one has been diagnosed with Men B. Two were last year, at a different one.
Yes, is has been confirmed as Men B. The college has had mass vaccination events and has another one planned. They are also offering the normal meningitis vaccine to students that are “under vaccinated.”
My daughter got the 2 shots over Thanksgiving and winter break due to the recommendation of the administration. There had been a case at one of the consortium colleges. She was the only one in her group of friends that had done so.
I think the college is handling it very proactively. We have received several emailed updates.
D got the Men B right before college (first year) and I wonder if it needs or has a booster. She’s abroad though, and not back in the area until next September so hopefully no need…
