MENINGITIS CAN PERMANENTLY DISABLE OR KILL CHILDREN AND ADULTS OF ALL AGES!
In Feb ‘05, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended that ALL children ages 11-18 and ALL college freshmen should receive
MENACTRA, the new meningitis/meningococcal vaccine!
MENACTRA is now available at
for all children and adults 11-55 years of age!
Meningitis Vaccine: What You Need to Know.
Meningococcal disease is a serious illness, caused by a virus or several types of bacteria. It is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2-18 years old in the United States. Meningitis is an infection of the brain and spinal cord coverings. Meningococcal disease can also infect the bloodstream very quickly and death can occur within 12 hours of onset of symptoms.
- Symptoms of meningitis are often mistaken for the flu.
- Meningococcal infection can be caused by kissing, sharing cigarettes,
food, beverages, eating utensils and lip-gloss or close contact (approximately 4 hrs) with an infected person.
- Poor nutrition, lack of sleep, smoking and alcohol consumption cause your
immune system to be weakened.
- Those who survive blood infection usually have permanent disabilities such
as seizures, loss of arms and/or legs, kidney disease, deafness and/ or mental retardation.
Who should get the MENACTRA Vaccination?
Meningococcal vaccine is not routinely recommended for most people. People who should get the vaccine include:
- Children ages 11-18
- All college freshmen
- Children and adults without a spleen
- HIV/AIDS, other immune disorders
- travelers to certain countries Please see CDC for travel requirements & recommendations.
- U.S. Military recruits
- People who might be affected during an outbreak of certain types of
meningococcal disease.
Please click here for details about meningitis, its causes and symptoms, and how MENACTRA can prevent permanent disability and death due to meningococcal disease.
