The meningococcal vaccine is safe and effective. As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the site of injection, lasting one to two days. You cannot get meningitis from the vaccine, because it is synthetic; there are no live bacteria in the vaccine.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice has also recently recommended giving the vaccine to all 11 and 12 year old children, or unvaccinated teens at high school entry. Because these are only recommendations and not state of Ohio requirements, most insurance companies do not cover this immunization. The meningococcal vaccine is not considered useful in early meningococcal outbreak management. See similar questions...

Yes, a safe and effective vaccine is available. The vaccine is eighty-five percent to one hundred percent effective in preventing four kinds of bacteria (serogroups A, C, Y, W-135) that cause about seventy percent of the disease in the United States. The vaccine is safe, with mild and infrequent side effects, such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two days. After vaccination, immunity develops within seven to ten days remains effective for approximately three to five years. See similar questions...

Allergic reactions could occur after any vaccine. Pain or tenderness, swelling, or warmth at the injection site may occur in about 25 percent of people who receive the vaccine and last one to two days. About 3 percent of people will have muscle or joint aches, flu-like symptoms, fever, or chills. Tests of vaccine safety and effectiveness are not complete for children younger than 15, so preventing tick bites is the recommended alternative until a vaccine becomes available. See similar questions...

With both forms there will be a wide variation in exactly how the disease affects a sufferer in the long term. Tiredness, recurring headaches, short-term memory difficulties and concentration problems are often reported, as are temper tantrums, forgetting recently-learned skills and babyish behavior in children. Mood swings, aggression, balance problems and clumsiness can all make daily life difficult both for the sufferer and his/her family and friends but these should pass in time. See similar questions...

Most individuals will experience no side effects from the influenza vaccine. Less than one-third of those who receive the vaccine will have some soreness at the vaccination site, and about 5% to 10% will experience a headache or a mild fever. The most serious side effect that can occur after an influenza vaccination is an allergic reaction in individuals who have a severe allergy to eggs. For that reason, people who have an allergy to eggs should not receive the influenza vaccine. See similar questions...

The meningococcal vaccine has an excellent safety profile. Side effects are mild and infrequent, consisting primarily of redness and swelling at the site of injection lasting up to two days. Meningococcal immunization should be deferred during any acute illness. The vaccine should not be administered to women who are pregnant or individuals sensitive to thimerosal or other components of the vaccine. See similar questions...

We encourage you to discuss with your family physician the advisability of getting the meningitis vaccine. It is available at the Health Center and can be paid for at the time of service or billed to your university account. See similar questions...

The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine prevents meningitis and encephalitis (a much more severe infection of the brain than meningitis) caused by the measles and mumps viruses. There are no vaccines available against the common causes of viral meningitis. See similar questions...

The Center for Disease Control recommends that all incoming freshmen receive the meningitis vaccine. In accordance with these recommendations, incoming students living on and off campus should be immunized against meningitis. On-campus waiver forms, for medical or religious exemption, are available on the Residence Life Web site and during Residence Life check-in at the start of each semester. See similar questions...

The bacterial meningitis vaccine is safe, effective and generally well-tolerated. The vaccine has been shown to provide protection against the most common strains of the disease, including serogroups A, C, Y and W-135. An individual will not contract bacterial meningitis from the vaccine. The vaccination is given in one injection. See similar questions...

Influenza vaccine is usually well tolerated. There may be temporary soreness at the site of injection. Rarely it can cause fever and muscle aches lasting up to two days, and very rarely it has been associated with Guillan-Barre syndrome. See similar questions...

The vaccines used to protect against meningitis are safe. When side effects occur, they are usually mild. Local reactions, such as a sore arm at the site of the injection, are fairly common with some of the vaccines. Mild fever may also occur. More information about the side effects of the meningitis vaccines can be found on the vaccine side effects web page. See similar questions...

Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ. See similar questions...

far as I am aware, only wild caught snails that carry the disease can pass on meningitis and only if they are undercooked and then eaten. Obviously you should wash your hands after you handle any pet, and observe proper hygiene in the regular cleaning of tanks and not allowing food to rot or become moldy. See similar questions...

Yes, there are vaccines against Hib and against some strains of N. meningitidis (meningococcal disease) and many types of Streptococcus pneumonia. The vaccines against Hib are very safe and highly effective. Boynton Health Service can administer this vaccine, but it is not covered under the student services fee. For more information, please call Boynton Health Service at 612-625-3222. See similar questions...

Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection. The disease is expressed as either meningococcal meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, or meningococcemia, the presence of bacteria in the blood. See similar questions...

Yes. Meningitis due to Meningococcal bacteria occurs six times more frequently amongst freshmen living in residence halls compared to the general population or the same age group not living on college campus. Living in close quarters, sharing of personal items, and the social lifestyles of these folks makes them more susceptible to this potentially very serious disease. It can be prevented to a large extent by the use of Meningitis vaccine. See similar questions...