What Is The Meningitis Vaccine For College

What Are The Top Vaccines That College Students Need

“Each patient will have a different situation, and their medical records can bring them up to date. Overall, the ones I’d emphasize are meningitis and hepatitis B.”

“Almost every college requires or strongly recommends students be vaccinated for meningitis, especially if they plan to live in the dorms. Close quarters make it easier for bacteria to spread.”

“Hepatitis B is a blood-borne infection, but can also be transmitted through sexual activity. The disease can have long-term liver consequences. The hepatitis B vaccine is a three-dose series, and might be among the safest vaccines ever made.”

“I would also recommend the combined tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine.”

Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination Requirement

Texas law requires all college students under the age of 22 to be vaccinated against bacterial meningitis or provide an exemption request declining the vaccine. Senate Bill 1107 amends the Texas law, requiring proof of vaccination at least 10 days prior to attending class. Class registration is blocked for LSC students until compliance with the bacterial meningitis vaccination requirement is documented as complete.

Refer to the bacterial meningitis vaccination compliance website for more information on submitting your documentation.

Proof of compliance is REQUIRED if any of the following apply:

• You are enrolling in college for the first time as a credit student.
• You are returning to college after a break in enrollment.
• You are transferring to LSC from another college or university.
• You are an early college, dual credit or other exceptional admissions student enrolled in classes on a Lone Star College campus.
• You are a non-credit Career & Continuing Education student also enrolled in credit classes.

You are EXEMPT from the requirement if any of the following apply:

• You are 22 years of age or older.
• You are enrolled in a non-credit CTE course or program that is less than 360 contact hours and are not taking any credit classes.
• You are enrolled in non-credit corporate training.
• You are enrolled in 100% online or distance education courses.
• You are a dual credit student taking courses taught at a public or private K-12 facility that is not located on a college campus.

What Is Viral Meningitis

Viral meningitis, as it suggests, is a viral infection. A person may become infected with viral meningitis through close contact with an infected person. But, there is a small possibility of actually contracting the virus. Only a small number of people who become infected will actually develop meningitis.

Viral meningitis is considered less severe than bacterial meningitis. People with normal immune systems can sometimes overcome it on their own. Vaccination will help protect against this infection as well.

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Menacwy Vaccine Mandates For Colleges And Universities

State

People With Certain Medical Conditions Need A 2

Vaccinate people with the following medical conditions with a 2-dose primary series of MenACWY vaccine administered 8 weeks apart:

• Complement component deficiency
• Functional or anatomic asplenia
• HIV

Administer routine booster doses every 5 years throughout life to people with these medical conditions. Booster doses will help these patients maintain protection against meningococcal disease.

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Who Is At Most Risk For Meningococcal Disease

High-risk groups include anyone with a damaged spleen or whose spleen has been removed, those with persistent complement component deficiency , HIV infection, those traveling to countries where meningococcal disease is very common, microbiologists who routinely work with the bacteria and people who may have been exposed to meningococcal disease during an outbreak. People who live in certain settings such as college dormitories and military housing are also at greater risk of disease from some serotypes.

Getting The Meningitis Vaccine

You can get the meningococcal vaccine at most doctors offices and private clinics, many large pharmacy chains, and some minor emergency centers or medi-clinics. Call in advance to see whether they offer the vaccine, require an appointment, and take your insurance.

If you have Medicaid or CHIP , please contact your established healthcare provider as your first option.

If you are uninsured or your insurance will not cover the meningococcal vaccine:

• If you are 18 or younger, you might qualify for the Texas Vaccines for Children Program. Call the United Ways referral helpline, by dialing 211, to find healthcare providers in your area who participate in this program.
• Many Texas city/county health departments offer free or low-cost meningococcal vaccine as part of children and adult immunization programs. Call to confirm that they offer the meningococcal vaccine for someone your age and in your circumstances. These services are ONLY for those without insurance or whose insurance does not cover the cost of the vaccine.

Texarkana College in conjunction with Christus St. Michaels will offer the meningitis vaccine at a discounted rate of $68.00 in the Christus St. Michaels Mobile Go Unit in the Nelson Administration Building parking lot. Please check back for available dates.

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Why The Cdc Recommends Meningococcal Vaccination

Neisseria meningitidis can linger within the nasal cavity without causing disease in some people. Older estimates provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that about 10% of the general population carries the bacteria.

Generally, this bacteria can spread quickly when people are in close contact with one another. Thats especially true in group living situations, or among people who are intimate .

If someone is unprotected from the disease, it can go on to cause extremely severe illness or even death. About 10% to 15% of people with bacterial meningitis die. One in 5 may have permanent disabilities afterward, like hearing issues, brain and kidney damage, or limb amputation.

How Common Is Meningitis In College

Should you consider getting the meningitis vaccine before college?

Dear Dr. Manny,

Im getting ready for my freshman year at college. My doctor recommended that I get a meningitis vaccine. How common is meningitis in college? How will it affect me? How does it spread? Can I prevent it?

Thanks for your question.

Bacterial meningitis is a very serious infection that can cause death in a matter of hours. Most people recover, but they have permanent damage done to them. Brain damage, hearing loss, and learning disabilities are some of the long term effects of the infection.

Young adults and adolescents are at a higher risk for meningitis. Typically, a case of meningitis happens and then does not spread. But because of the social patterns in college, the close quarters make the spread easier. Simply put, if you cram many people into tiny dorms, then put them under a lot of stress , you get a perfect candidate for a bacterial infection.

Close contact, face-to-face contact, and bodily fluids are how the disease travels. People with meningitis can give it to their roommates very easily. Any person who attends a school is naturally at a higher risk for meningitis.

WHAT IS A HEMORRHOID AND HOW CAN YOU GET RID OF IT?

Meningitis can spread through kissing, sharing drinks, sharing utensils, and simply sharing quarters.

Dont hesitate. Get your meningitis shot before going to college. It will save you some time and trouble.

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Meningitis Vaccination Recommended For College Students

The American College Health Association and the CDC recommend that college students, especially college freshmen, and their parents are educated about meningococcal diseases and the benefits of vaccination against the disease. Vaccination is recommended because 10-25 percent of the population can be carrying the bacteria responsible for meningitis at any one time. However, the bacteria rarely overcome the body’s immunity resulting in meningitis. Vaccination is, therefore, greatly recommended to keep the disease at bay and to contribute to the control and spread of the disease.

The ACHA recommends that universities and colleges should make an effort to provide access to immunization against meningococcal diseases for those who would like to reduce their chances of contracting the disease. According to the ACHA, over one and a half million college students have been immunized against the disease since the ACHA made this recommendation in 1997.

There are three types of meningococcal vaccines available in the U.S. These are:

• Meningococcal conjugate vaccines
• Serogroup B meningococcal vaccines
• Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine

Additionally, young adults and teens between the ages of 16 and 23 years of age can receive short-term protection against serogroup B meningococcus strains by receiving the MenB vaccine. The preferred age for this vaccination is between 16 and 18 years of age.

Meningococcal Vaccine And College Students

On September 30, 1997, the American College Health Association ,which represents about half of colleges that have student health services, released astatement recommending that “college health services a more proactive role inalerting students and their parents about the dangers of meningococcal disease,” that”college students consider vaccination against potentially fatal meningococcaldisease,” and that “colleges and universities ensure all students have access to avaccination program for those who want to be vaccinated” . Parent andcollege student advocates have also encouraged more widespread use ofmeningococcal vaccine in college students. In a joint study by ACHA and CDC, surveys were sentto 1,200 ACHA-member schools of 691 responding schools, 57 reported thatpre-exposure meningococcal vaccination campaigns had been conducted on theircampus since September 1997. A median of 32 students were vaccinated at each school . During the 1998–1999 school year,3%–5% of 148 students enrolled in a case-control study reported receiving prophylacticmeningococcal vaccination . Before the 1999 fall semester, many schools mailedinformation packets to incoming freshmen data are not yet available regarding theproportion of students who have been vaccinated.

Cost-effectiveness of meningococcal vaccine incollege students

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Tips For Protecting Yourself Against Meningitis

Smoking , excessive drinking and upper respiratory tract infections are risk factors for contracting meningitis. They should be avoided whenever possible. Leading a healthy lifestyle by exercising, getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet also strengthen your immune system against the disease. Additionally, you should avoid sharing drinking glasses and eating utensils. Lastly, cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and practice frequent handwashing.

People With Certain Medical Conditions Need A Primary Series Of Menb Vaccine And Routine Booster Doses

Vaccinate people who have the following medical conditions with a primary series of MenB vaccine:

• Complement component deficiency
• Functional or anatomic asplenia

The primary series for Bexsero® requires 2 doses. Administer the second dose at least one month after the first dose. The primary series for Trumenba® for people at increased risk requires 3 doses. Administer the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first dose. Administer the third dose 6 months after the first dose.

Administer a booster dose of MenB vaccine 1 year after series completion and then every 2 to 3 years thereafter, to people with these medical conditions.

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What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Meningococcal Vaccines

Some of the most common side effects are swelling, redness, and pain at the site of the injection, along with headache, fever, or tiredness. Serious problems, such as allergic reactions, are rare.

The meningococcal vaccines contains only a small piece of the germ, so it can’t cause meningococcal disease.

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.

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Most Health Insurance Plans Cover The Cost For Menb Vaccination

Most health plans must cover CDC-recommended vaccines with no out-of-pocket costs if an in-network healthcare provider administers the vaccine. Adolescents or their parents should check with their insurance provider for details on whether there is any cost to them for this vaccine.

The Vaccines for Children, or VFC, program provides vaccines for children 18 and younger who are

• Not insured
• Medicaid-eligible
• American Indian or Alaska Native

Parents can find a VFC provider by contacting their local health department. VFC will cover the cost of MenB vaccination for those

• 16 through 18 years of age
• 10 through 18 years of age identified as being at increased risk due to a medical condition
• 10 through 18 years of age identified as being at increased risk due to a serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak

Vaccines For Meningococcal Disease

There are two vaccines available for meningococcal disease in the U.S.: the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, and the serogroup B meningococcal vaccine.

The MenACWY vaccine is now a routine vaccination, given during childhood the CDC suggests all 11 to 12 year olds receive the MenACWY vaccine, with a booster dose given at 16 years old. Teenagers and young adultspeople ages 16 to 23are also recommended to get a MenB vaccine, as are people who are immunocompromised.

It’s also important to point out that men aren’t the only ones who should consider getting vaccinated during this outbreak: Women who are intimate with bisexual men should also consider a vaccine. “There’s nothing gender-specific about who can and can’t be affected,” Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo, told Health.com.

“Frankly, everyone should be worried about meningitis and everyone should be vaccinated against meningitis,” Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, told Health.com. “There is no reason to believe that this would not spread to the heterosexual community.”

A first step to getting the vaccine is checking in with a health care provider, Dr. Schaffner said. “Not every provider stocks this vaccine, so it’s better to contact them in advance,” he explained.

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Menb Vaccines Are Safe

Available data show that MenB vaccines are safe. Side effects like pain at the injection site, fever, and headache are common. These side effects usually resolve on their own within 3 to 5 days after vaccination. MenB vaccines are more reactogenic than other adolescent vaccines . They are likely to produce common or expected short-term side effects . There have been no unusual patterns of serious reactions associated with these vaccines.

Meningitis Vaccine Could Protect Against Gonorrhea

As cases of gonorrhea escalate worldwide and the bacterial culprit develops antibiotic resistance, three studies published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases indicate a widely available, routine childhood vaccine against meningitis could also protect against the sexually transmitted infection. The modeling and observational studies suggest, 4CMenB, a vaccine approved for meningitis, could offer significant protection to young adults and others at increased risk of infection.

More than 80 million new cases of gonorrhea were recorded worldwide in 2020. Gonorrhea, if untreated, can lead to serious health conditions, including infertility in women, transmission to newborn babies, and increased risk of HIV. The lack of a licensed vaccine against the infection has raised concerns that gonorrhea may become intractable.

In the study titled, Effectiveness of a serogroup B outer membrane vesicle meningococcal vaccine against gonorrhoea: a retrospective observational study, senior author Winston Abara, PhD, MBBS, and his team compared health records of laboratory-confirmed cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia in 16- to 23-year-olds in New York City and Philadelphia from 20162018 with 4CMenB vaccination status and showed that receiving two doses of 4CMenB provided 40% protection against gonorrhea while one dose provided 26% protection.

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