Add meningitis vaccine to this year's back-to-school list

They say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Immunization against communicable diseases is a public health success story. In addition to safeguarding individuals, immunizations also have a clear public benefit. Community immunity, or the level of protection within communities, is a key determinant in keeping infectious disease in check. Put simply, the greater the proportion of immunized individuals in a community, the less chance that disease will spread.

Children returning to school this month are generally required to have certain vaccines, including inoculations for mumps, hepatitis and measles. This year, a federal health agency recommends they get one more.

Meningococcal meningitis, an inflammation of the lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord, is a rare but sometimes deadly bacterial infection that is particularly dangerous to adolescents and young children. A new, one-shot vaccination that offers long-term protection against most forms of meningococcal meningitis may prevent up to 83 percent of cases in the United States.

In January, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration licensed a vaccine for bacterial meningitis and related diseases that can strike suddenly and kill quickly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and Society for Adolescent Medicine all recommend the immunization for three age groups:

¥ Children 11 and 12 years old;

¥ Adolescents entering high school who have not been immunized yet; and

¥ College students who will be living in dormitories.

Meningitis-causing bacteria are transmitted in droplets through the air and in saliva. It can be contracted by sharing water bottles at a sports team practice, girls sharing lipstick, or college-age students trading cigarettes or bottles at a concert or bar. Crowded living conditions, such as dorms, boarding schools and camps, increase the risk of infection.

Symptoms of the disease are often mistaken for common illnesses, such as the flu. However, it is particularly dangerous because it progresses rapidly and can be fatal.

This relatively rare but serious bacterial infection hits about 3,000 Americans each year, according to the CDC. Tragically, adolescents and young adults account for nearly 30 percent of all meningococcal disease cases in the U.S. each year. This group has an unusually high fatality rate - nearly 25 percent. Twenty percent of all survivors endure permanent disabilities such as brain damage, deafness, kidney disease and amputation of the fingers, arms and/or legs.

The meningitis vaccine typically costs about $80 if it is not covered by health insurance. Because the federal government's recommendation that all adolescents be immunized against meningitis is relatively recent, some insurance companies may not have updated their policies regarding coverage. If your insurance company denies coverage of the vaccine, contact the customer service office. Ask if the policy has been updated since the CDC recommended routine vaccination for all adolescents and college students.

The consequences of failing to get the immunization can be tragic. We must work together to get the word out about this necessary vaccine. Too many families have already learned the devastating effects of meningitis.

(Tom Udall, D-N.M., has represented the Third Congressional District of New Mexico since 1999. His web site can be visited at http://tomudall.house.gov.)

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