Do you have a young adult heading off to college in the fall? Now is a good time for students to get a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. Living in close quarters and where large groups tend to gather, like dormitories, increases the risk of getting meningococcal disease or meningitis. It can spread from person to person through close contact (coughing or kissing) or lengthy contact, especially among people living in the same household.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), outbreaks of serogroup B meningococcal disease are increasing on college campuses. Many young adults may have received the Meningococcal conjugate vaccine before their 16th birthday, but this vaccine does not protect against serogroup B meningococcal disease. With with the elevated risk that college students have, it’s important for them to get the serogroup B meningococcal vaccine for the best protection.
Even when it is treated, meningococcal disease kills 10 to 15 infected people out of 100. And of those who survive, about 10 to 20 out of every 100 will suffer disabilities such as hearing loss, brain damage, kidney damage, amputations, nervous system problems, or severe scars from skin grafts.
Rates of meningococcal disease have been declining in the United States since the late 1990s, and health officials believe this is due in part to increased vaccination.
Call District Health Department #10 today to schedule an appointment for vaccinations at 888-217-3904.