<p>The meningitis continues. One dead, two very ill in Rhode Island. Two more very ill in New Jersey (from the same hockey team). All are high school students.</p>
<p>New Jersey state colleges require the meningitis vaccine. I'm happy that our son had to get get vaccinated if he wanted to live on campus.</p>
<p>I'm a microbiologist, this is a scary disease. Please urge your children to seriously consider the vaccine.</p>
<p>Far, far too many otherwise-intelligent freshman get sick and don't "get" that they need to take it seriously. There was one guy this fall, he had this horrible sore throat and every time I talked to him I started out by saying "been to the doctor yet?" and he never went. Eventually he went home for a weekend and thankfully his mom got him what he needed.</p>
<p>It's not just meningitis - things like strep throat can be a lot more prevalent (if people ignore their cold and keep charging ahead sick), which left untreated can actually be fairly dangerous - it's much better to get the antibiotics and skip a day of class to recover.</p>
<p>Also, I think the meningitis vaccine doesn't give lifetime protection - it only gives it for so many years. All I remember is that the last physical I had with my doctor, before she retired from primary care, had me get the meningitis vaccine and was quite insistent on giving it.</p>
<p>My D has a very good friend who had meningitis last year and she was directly exposed. He was hospitalized and it was touch and go for a while It was very scary. They treated my D because of the exposure. She got the vaccine shortly after, but we were told that the strain she had been exposed to was not one protected by the vaccine. So kids really need to be watchful for the signs, especially the stiff neck. The young man recovered, but does have some residual health issues. get the vaccine and be watchful.</p>
<p>UW Madison recommends the vaccine, as physicians we made sure our then 16 yr old got it the summer before entering- group living situations such as dorms put one at higher risk than the general population. There is good reason to get the vaccine, even though it is rare it has been frequent enough to worry about and the disease can be devastating even if it doesn't kill. An interesting cost point- at the parents' part of summer orientation an OOS parent found out it would be a lot cheaper (including insurance, half the cost?) for their child to get the vaccine when on campus compared to their home state clinic. The speaker noted one past OOS parent had to give his child dire threats about coming home only if he finally got the vaccine, telling a college student to do something and having them actually do it are two different things...</p>
<p>Summer camps in NY State highly recommend the vaccine, and make parents sign a form saying they understand about the vaccine and checking off whether their child has had the vaccine or has chosen not to have the vaccine.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The speaker noted one past OOS parent had to give his child dire threats about coming home only if he finally got the vaccine, telling a college student to do something and having them actually do it are two different things...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Dire threats, even well intended, are just wrong. College students are intelligent adults, capable of making their own health decisions. This "dire threat" strategy is the same one used by uninformed/misinformed bureaucrats in schools and summer camps when they "require" vaccinations. The risk/benefit of many vaccines is very much in question. The decision to vaccinate or not needs to be based on informed consent, and as parents we'd be well advised to preserve that freedom.</p>
<p>My son got meningitis at age 5 when a surgical incision burst open and germs got in. Unfortunately this was after brain surgery and a neck fusion. So here was a kid with a high fever and stiff neck but in a halo brace. Who knew he had a stiff neck? His neck was immobile... I happened to notice the girl in the next bed (intensive care) was moving her head/neck strangely and mentioned it (she had surgery on her lower spine and her parents weren't around to notice her movements). Turned out they both had meningitis. Not fun. </p>
<p>Besides death, there are other very serious complications... do whatever you can to avoid this. These complications last for a lifetime - and that's if you're lucky enough to survive.</p>
<p>Quote from celloguy:
The risk/benefit of many vaccines is very much in question.</p>
<p>This is an overly broad and misleading statement. No vaccine is perfect nor universally recommended. But there is little doubt in the medical community that the vast majority of teens should receive the meningitis vaccine.</p>
<p>I don't threaten my children. But most 18 year old, even highly intelligent ones, often lack the ability/interest to sort through complicated, dry medical data to make a truly informed choice. Parents should guide their young adults in situations of major consequence, even though the 'children' are legal adults. Just my heartfelt 2cents.</p>
<p>Or they're just lazy. My doctor didn't recommend the vaccine for summer camp a few years ago, but is much more positive about the latest version.</p>
<p>
[quote]
But there is little doubt in the medical community that the vast majority of teens should receive the meningitis vaccine.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No offense, but have you done your homework? "The" meningitis vaccine (which do you mean?) is not universally accepted. The Hib vaccine seems to have cut the incidence of Hib meningitis, an extremely serious disease affecting mostly kids under 5; most babies get a Hib shot and that's probably a good thing. For the rest of us, the vaccines available are somewhat protective against some of the meningitis-causing bacteria some of time; because bacterial meningitis is so very rare (1 in 100,000), there is a good bit of debate (amongst researchers and the "medical community" in the U.S. and other countries) about the benefit of the vaccine as opposed to vaccine risk from allergies, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and suppression of the immune system.
Our doctor recommends against the vaccine. D's college health service is on the fence, but suggests it's a personal choice with good arguments on both sides.</p>
<p>except, you didn't do the homework either :)</p>
<ul>
<li>Routine meningitis vaccination of college freshman living in dorms is endorsed by the Center for Disease Control, the American Association of Pediatrics, and the American College Health Association.</li>
<li>College freshman in dorms are more than 5 times more likely to come down with bacterial meningitis than the regular population (5.1 cases in 100,000)</li>
<li>The newest vaccine protects against 2 of the 3 most prevalent serogroups of the kind of bacterial meningitis found in american teenagers.</li>
</ul>
<p>Individual doctor's and college health center's opinions vary, but the general consensus of the mainstream medical associations is in favor of vaccination. Obviously cases do differ significantly and I would hope every doctor puts thought into what the best thing to do is in each situation.</p>
<p>
[quote]
the general consensus of the mainstream medical associations is in favor of vaccination
[/quote]
</p>
<p>true; but consider the economic benefit to mainstream medical associations, who are in business to sell pharmaceuticals. Look deeper.</p>
<p>Both my parents were hospitalized for meningitis in what must have been late 40s, during an epidemic ( I think they were 11 & 14)
I suppose that was viral- which is much more common than bacterial
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/viral_meningitis.htm%5B/url">http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/viral_meningitis.htm[/url</a>
]
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcal_g.htm">http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcal_g.htm</a>
Its good to use common sense health practices- but I worry that vacinating for everything possible will impact immune systems.
We use the *eat a peck of dirt school *of parenting & have been very healthy!
I even had Hep B without even knowing it- however as far as I know, that is the only unusual disease I have had.</p>
<p>Since we are going to Ecuador however, I am researching vaccines and treatments for things like malaria and yellow fever ( are those the same thing?)
I just read a book by Anita Golden Gelman- who has been a world traveler since her late 40s- have to take the other malaria drug.</p>
<p>What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of brain and spinal cord membranes caused by either viruses or bacteria; bacterial meningitis, the more serious but fortunately less common form of the disease, occupies the current focus of attention. Meningococcal meningitis progresses very rapidly and therefore requires early diagnosis and aggressive treatment with antibiotics.</p>
<p>What are the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease?
Symptoms often mimic those of the flu, including high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, and lethargy. In advanced cases a diffuse purple rash may develop. We have notified all Reed students of these symptoms and instructed them to report immediately to the health center or go to the emergency room of a local hospital during off hours if these symptoms develop.</p>
<p>How many cases of meningococcal disease occur each year?
The disease strikes one per 100,000 for both the general population and students living off campus. The risk increases to three per 100,000 students living in on-campus housing. Approximately 100 cases of meningitis are reported in Oregon each year. Approximately 10 percent of those who contract the disease die; many others suffer permanent and debilitating damage to the brain, limbs, kidneys, or hearing.</p>
<p>Who is at risk?
The disease is spread through contact with an infected persons oral secretions. :p Such contact includes sharing utensils or drinking glasses, kissing, and coughing. It also appears that smokers, those under physical stress, and IV drug users may be at increased risk for contracting the infection.</p>
<p>How effective is the meningococcal vaccine?
A partially effective vaccine is available to students who request it at a cost of approximately $70; most medical plans, however, will not cover this kind of preventative treatment. Over half of these cases reported in the Pacific Northwest are caused by a strain that is resistant to the vaccine. Although the college** is not recommending **widespread use of the vaccine at this time, students are encouraged to discuss this option with family and health care providers.</p>
<p>emeraldkity4, thanks for posting that again (I posted it at the beginning of the discussion but was ignored). Maybe the bold type will help get it across.</p>
<p>If you follow the link posted by SV2, you will find evidence on their own site (no need to dig) of the conflict of interest I posited in #33. For example:
"College health professional are the key decision-makers at student health services nationwide and a leading resource for reaching the nation's more than 16 million college and university students. Exhibiting at the American College Health Association's 2007 Annual Meeting in San Antonio is your best opportunity to target this powerful group! Take a moment to browse the links above for the many promotional and sponsorship opportunities we have to offer.</p>
<p>In case I was too subtle about my conflict-of-interest concern (??), let me add a further quote from the American College Health Association's website:
[quote]
"ACHA's meningococcal disease awareness efforts are made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from sanofi pasteur."
[/quote]
I'm sure we're all aware that sanofi pasteur is the manufacturer/vendor of the vaccine in question.</p>
<p>for all you parents the name of the vaccine is menactra. It is now covered by most insurances and can be given as young as 12. Our office gives it to all high school students and some younger kids going to sleep away camp. We have plenty of it now in our office, but last summer there were shortages. We try to give it now to HS srs while we have plenty of the vaccine. So if your child is in Hs ask you pediatrician about getting it now and not waiting for the college examthis summer.</p>
<p>Okay, one more observation and then I'm off to the beach for some healthy exercise. For an interesting peek at a corporate site, check out <a href="http://www.sanofipasteur.com%5B/url%5D">www.sanofipasteur.com</a>
and then go see the FDA warning letter to that corporation detailing some quality control failures:
<a href="http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/g5899d.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/g5899d.html</a></p>
<p>Please understand, I'm not asserting that humankind is unquestionably ill served by all vaccines. I'm just asking for a reasonable degree of consumer scepticism and a push for independent research ... and for "education" that is not funded by the manufacturer.</p>