How To Get The Meningitis B Vaccine

Ingredients In Menacwy Vaccines

Menactra, MenQuadfi, and Menveo are all made through a process which chemically links a protein recognized by the immune system with a sugar molecule found on the surface of certain types of Neisseria meningitidis.

Usually, those polysaccharides are hard for the immune system to spot, but when theyre linked to proteins the immune system recognizes, your body learns to mount a response to it. These vaccines are called conjugate vaccines.

Importantly, each one of these vaccines contains polysaccharides from four different serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis.That allows the vaccine to protect you against four different subgroups of bacteria.

These vaccines do not contain preservatives or adjuvants .

Who Should Get The Meningococcal Vaccine

• This vaccine is provided free to infants as part of their routine immunizations. The vaccine is given as a series of two doses. The first is given at 2 months of age, and the second at 12 months.
• This vaccine is also free for people:
• Born before 2002, who are 24 years of age and under who did not get a dose of vaccine on or after their 10th birthday.
• Who have been in close contact with someone with meningococcal type C disease.

Two Different Vaccines Are Needed To Fully Vaccinate Your Teen Or Young Adult Against Meningitis

There are 5 primary types of bacteria that cause meningitis and for which vaccines are available in the US: A, C, W, Y, and B.8

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination for types A, C, W, and Y at ages 11 to 12, and a booster at age 16. The CDC recommends deciding with your doctor about vaccinating your child against MenB. The CDC-recommended age for MenB vaccination is 16 to 23 years .9,10

You can help protect your teen by vaccinating with TRUMENBA, which is FDA approved for MenB.1

Routine visits with your child’s doctor are a good opportunity to discuss the risks and potential serious side effects of MenB.7 Make sure you know whether your teen has received both types of meningitis vaccines, and whether they are protected against MenB.

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Effectiveness Of The Menacwy Vaccine

The type of meningococcal vaccine that most young adults get is generally called the MenACWY vaccine, which protects against four strains of the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria.

Since the CDC recommended vaccination for adolescents in 2005, cases of meningococcal disease fell by 90%. Similar declines werent seen in groups that didnt have this vaccine recommendation.

Other studies also noted a large drop in meningococcal disease since the vaccine was introduced. One 2020 paper in JAMA Pediatrics analyzed the national rates of meningococcal disease between 2000 and 2005 and compared it to 2011 to 2017 .

The annual incidence rates of three strains of meningococcal disease were already dropping in the pre-vaccine period by about 14.6% among adolescents 16 to 22 years old. But that drop accelerated after vaccine introduction. Between 2011 and 2017, the incidence of meningitis due to these strains dropped by 35.6% per year.

This suggests that MenACWY vaccination is related to the drop in meningococcal disease among adolescents, though vaccination alone cant explain this decline. But other studies have replicated these results in other populations.

A study compared meningococcal disease cases and deaths in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces between 2008 and 2013 and 2013 to 2016 . Data showed the MenACWY vaccine is 88% effective in protecting against meningococcal disease.

Do I Need To Pay For Meningococcal Immunisation

Vaccines covered by the NIP are free for people who are eligible. See the NIP Schedule to find out which vaccines you or people in your family are eligible to receive.

Eligible people get the vaccine for free, but your health care provider may charge a consultation fee for the visit. You can check this when you make your appointment.

Children and adolescents not eligible for meningococcal vaccines through the NIP, may be able to receive free vaccines through state-funded programs. Contact your state or territory health department for details.

If you are not eligible for free vaccines, you may need to pay for it. The cost depends on the type of vaccine, the formula and where you buy it from. Your immunisation provider can give you more information.

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What Is The Meningitis Vaccine

Do you need a meningitis vaccine?

Schedule an appointment with your local Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist

There are two types of meningitis vaccinations available in Canada. One protects against A, C, W and Y strains, the other against B strains.

Meningitis B vaccination is recommended for youth age 16 to 23. It provides short term protection against infection. It is also recommended as a routine vaccination for some individuals over the age of 10 if: there has been an outbreak of meningitis B, they have a damaged or removed spleen, certain immune conditions among other similar indications.

Immunization against meningitis A, C, W and Y is recommended or required for most preteens.

Both of these vaccinations are relatively new. Many individuals over the age of 30 may not have been vaccinated.

Are Free Or Low

Yes, if you don’t have insurance or your insurance does not cover the cost of the meningococcal vaccines, you may be able to find free or low-cost meningococcal shots. Note that there may still be an administration fee of up to $21.22 per shot.

• If you are 18 years old or younger: Talk to your doctor or clinic to see if they participate in the Minnesota Vaccines for Children Program.
• If you are 19 years old or older: Go to Vaccination Clinics Serving Uninsured and Underinsured Adults to search for a clinic near you that offers low-cost vaccines for eligible adults.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Meningococcal Disease

Signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease include sudden onset of fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or mental confusion. A rash may also be present. Changes in behavior such as confusion, sleepiness, and unresponsiveness are important symptoms of illness. Anyone who has these symptoms should be seen by a healthcare provider immediately. In fatal cases, death can occur in as little as a few hours, even with appropriate medical treatment. Less common presentations include pneumonia and arthritis.

The Meningitis B Vaccine Can Help Prevent This Deadly Illness

Weve told you the scary stuff, now heres the part where we give you some reassuring news. First, any form of meningococcal diseaseincluding meningitis Bis relatively rare, and incidents have been on the decline in the last few decades. The CDC says that in 2017, there were about 350 total cases of meningococcal disease reported. Thats 0.11 cases per 100,000 people.

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The other good news is that you can reduce your childs risk of getting meningitis B by making sure they get the meningitis B vaccine. The reason that we vaccinate against things is that they are severe diseases, even if they occur rarely, Adam J. Ratner, M.D., director of the division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at NYU Langone and associate professor in both the department of Pediatrics and department of Microbiology at NYU Langone, tells SELF.

The meningitis B vaccine introduces your body to a specific part of the bacteria cell, combined with whats called an adjuvantan extra material that helps boost the effectiveness of the immune responseso your body learns to produce antibodies that target that bacteria. Your body does not see the whole bacteria, and so it’s impossible to get the infection from the vaccine itself, Dr. Vyas explains. Theres more than one meningitis B vaccine available, but both require at least two doses for maximum effectiveness.

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Know The Facts Be Prepared

Although vaccination may not protect all individuals, vaccination against meningitis is your best defense against the disease, according to the CDC.

Its important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether meningitis B vaccination is right for you. Download this fact sheet to better discuss meningitis B with your healthcare provider:

How Is Meningitis Spread

The bacteria that cause meningitis B are generally spread by direct contact of one person with another. Bacteria that cause meningitis B live within the nose and throat of an infected person or a person who is a carrier of the bacteria. The bacteria can be spread through certain everyday behaviors including:

COUGHING & SNEEZING

KISSING

LIVING IN CLOSE QUARTERS

Although meningitis B is uncommon, it can spread through close contact with someone who is infected. However, its not as contagious as, for example, the flu.

Meningitis B is unpredictable and can strike otherwise healthy individuals. Most carriers do not get sick, though they can still potentially spread meningitis B to others. We dont really know why only about 1% of carriers develop the disease, while others do not.

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Persons New To Canada

Health care providers who see persons newly arrived in Canada should review the immunization status and update immunization for these individuals. Review of meningococcal vaccination status is particularly important for persons from areas of the world where sickle cell disease is present as persons with sickle cell disease are at risk of serious meningococcal infections. In many countries outside of Canada, conjugate meningococcal vaccines are in limited use. Information on vaccination schedules in other countries can be found on the World Health Organization website. Refer to Immunization of Persons New to Canada in Part 3 for additional general information.

Are There Any Adults Who Should Not Get The Meningococcal Vaccine

You shouldn’t get either type of meningococcal vaccine if you:

• Are moderately or seriously ill wait until you recover.
• Have had a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose
• Had a severe reaction to any part of the vaccine

If you are pregnant or have other concerns, ask your doctor which meningitis vaccine is right for you.

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Why Do Teens Need A Meningococcal Vaccine

Of the 1,000-2,600 people who get meningococcal disease each year, one-third are teens and young adults. Ten percent to 15% of those who get sick with the disease will die, even with antibiotic treatment. As many as 20% of the survivorswill have permanent side effects, such as hearing loss or brain damage.

The immunization can help prevent this serious disease.

Healthy Infants And Children

One dose of Men-C-C vaccine is recommended in unimmunized children less than 5 years of age. One dose of Men-C-C vaccine may be considered for children 5 to 11 years of age if they have not previously been immunized as infants or toddlers. Immunization with 4CMenB vaccine or MenB-fHBP may be considered on an individual basis, depending on individual preferences, regional serogroup B epidemiology and strain susceptibility.

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What Are The Possible Reactions After The Vaccine

Vaccines are very safe. It is much safer to get the vaccine than to get meningococcal disease. Common reactions to the vaccine include soreness, redness and swelling where the vaccine was given. Fever, crankiness, sleepiness, muscle aches and headache may also occur. These reactions are usually mild and generally last 1 to 2 days.

Reactions, including fever, are more common in children under 2 years of age if the Men-B vaccine is given with other routine childhood vaccines.

For more information on Reye Syndrome, see HealthLinkBC File #84 Reye Syndrome.

It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is an extremely rare possibility, less than 1 in a million, of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This may include hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue or lips. If this reaction occurs, your health care provider is prepared to treat it. Emergency treatment includes administration of epinephrine and transfer by ambulance to the nearest emergency department. If symptoms develop after you leave the clinic, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

It is important to always report serious or unexpected reactions to your health care provider.

Problems That Could Happen After Getting Any Injected Vaccine

• People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes can help prevent fainting, and injuries caused by a fall. Tell the provider if you or your child feel dizzy, have vision changes, or have ringing in the ears.
• As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious injury, or death.

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Who Needs To Get Vaccinated For Meningitis

Its especially important for you to keep all of your meningitis vaccinations up-to-date if you fall into a high-risk category for getting the disease. High-risk categories include:

• Certain Ages. Infants less than one-year-old and young adults between the ages of 16 and 21 are the most likely to develop meningitis. Its most important to have all boosters and available vaccinations at these ages.
• Crowded Settings. Large group settings like college campuses are where outbreaks of meningitis are the most common. Get your vaccines up-to-date before entering into these settings for extended periods of time.
• Certain underlying conditions. Some underlying medical conditions can increase your chance of getting meningitis. These include HIV and other conditions that weaken your immune system. Not having a spleen also places you at higher risk.
• Work that involves meningitis-causing agents. Microbiologists and any other researchers that regularly come into contact with the bacteria and viruses that cause meningitis are consistently at risk.
• Travel to certain areas. Some areas in the world like sub-Saharan Africa have higher rates of meningitis and the pathogens that cause it. Check with your doctor before traveling to new parts of the world.

Guidance On Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunization

To ensure the ongoing safety of vaccines in Canada, reporting of AEFIs by vaccine providers and other clinicians is critical, and in some jurisdictions, reporting is mandatory under the law.

Vaccine providers are asked to report AEFIs, through local public health officials, and to check for specific AEFI reporting requirements in their province or territory. In general, any serious or unexpected adverse event felt to be temporally related to vaccination should be reported.

For additional information about AEFI reporting, please refer to Adverse events following immunization. For general vaccine safety information, refer to Vaccine safety and pharmacovigilance in Part 2.

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There Are Three Types Of Meningococcal Vaccines:

• The meningococcal C vaccine that protects against infection from one of the most common types of meningococcal bacteria, type C.
• The meningococcal quadrivalent vaccine that protects against 4 types of meningococcal bacteria: types A, C, Y and W-135.
• The meningococcal B vaccine that protects against infection by one of the most common types of meningococcal bacteria, type B.

The type of vaccine recommended depends on a person’s age and risk factors.

Are Students In College At Risk For Meningococcal Disease

In the 1990s, college freshmen living in residence halls were identified as being at increased risk for meningococcal disease. Meningococcal disease and outbreaks in young adults were primarily due to serogroup C. However, following many years of routine vaccination of young people with quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine , serogroup B is now the primary cause of meningococcal disease and outbreaks in young adults. Among the approximately 9 million students aged 18-21 years enrolled in college, there are an average of 20 cases and 2-4 outbreaks due to serogroup B reported annually.

Although incidence of serogroup B meningococcal disease in college students is low, college students aged 18-21 years are at increased risk compared to non-college students. The close contact in college residence halls, combined with certain behaviors , may put college students at increased risk.

Is there a vaccine against meningococcal disease?

Yes, there are 2 different meningococcal vaccines.

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How Common Is Menb Disease

MenB is now the cause of most cases of meningococcal disease in Scotland. There were 73 cases in Scotland in 2014. For 61 of these, it was possible to tell which type of infection caused them. Of the 61 cases, 42 were caused by type B .

Although this infection isn’t common, its very important to remember that MenB is extremely serious and can lead to permanent disability and death. The meningococcal bacteria can also cause local outbreaks in nurseries, schools and universities.

Simultaneous Administration With Other Vaccines

Men-C-C and 4CMenB vaccine may be administered concomitantly with routine childhood vaccines, and Men-C-ACYW vaccine may be administered concomitantly with adolescent and adult age appropriate vaccines. MenB-fHBP can be given concomitantly with quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine meningococcal serogroup A, C, Y, W conjugate vaccine and tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed. The concomitant administration of MenB-fHBP has not been studied with other vaccines.

Men-C-ACYW-CRM can be administered with routine paediatric vaccines however, further studies are needed with regard to concomitant administration with pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine. Co-administration of Men-C-ACYW-CRM and combined tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine may result in a lower immune response to the pertussis antigens than when Tdap vaccine is given alone however, the clinical significance of this is unknown. Tdap vaccine given one month after Men-C-ACYW-CRM induces the strongest immunologic response to pertussis antigens.

If vaccines are to be administered concomitantly with another vaccine, a separate injection site and a different syringe must be used for each injection.

Refer to Timing of Vaccine Administration in Part 1 for additional general information.

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