Meningitis W

[Kizzy]

'Teenagers in England are to be offered a vaccine against a deadly strain of meningitis, after a sharp rise in cases.
Just 22 people contracted Meningitis W in 2009, but that number rose to 117 last year - an increase of over 400 per cent.
Now there are plans to roll out an immunisation programme in a bid to stop the disease spreading.'

Terrifying article, the sudden death of 117 teens, in 1yr?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31904057

[Josy]

That's a pretty scary number, glad they are going to be offering immunisations.

My partners sister died of meningitis.

[Kizzy]

Sorry to hear that Josy, I hope they don't drag their heels too much too :(

[Toy Soldier]

Not the sudden death of 117 teens Kizzy, it's 117 cases not 117 deaths. Meningitis is scary, granted, but despite the horror stories, the facts are that the majority of people recover from viral meningitis (including this strain). Most people (as in more than half) would actually recover spontaneously without treatment of any kind.

Bacterial meningitis, untreated, is often fatal but Bacterial meningitis can't be vaccinated against - because it's not a virus. It is a killer but its a totally separate condition not related to the type of meningitis mentioned in this story (viral).

Take this sort of "disease scaremongering" with a hefty pinch of salt. Always.

[Mokka]

Not the sudden death of 117 teens Kizzy, it's 117 cases not 117 deaths. Meningitis is scary, granted, but despite the horror stories, the facts are that the majority of people recover from viral meningitis (including this strain). Most people (as in more than half) would actually recover spontaneously without treatment of any kind.

Bacterial meningitis, untreated, is often fatal but Bacterial meningitis can't be vaccinated against - because it's not a virus. It is a killer but its a totally separate condition not related to the type of meningitis mentioned in this story (viral).

Take this sort of "disease scaremongering" with a hefty pinch of salt. Always.

I am agreeing with Toy Soldier for once here. Yes Meningitis is making a comeback, but the deadly form is the bacterial version. There is a degree of "scaremongering" going on here, and with that is allusion that he medical community is putting forth of protection, much like the flu vaccine which can only guess at which strains to immunize with.

[DemolitionRed]

I got chicken pox when I was 14 and went on to get bacterial meningitis. I was still put in an isolation ward.

Many people including GP's believe that there has to be a very specific rash for it to be meningitis. My only symptoms were an extreme headache, fever and a very stiff neck. My doctor thought I was having a complex migraine and told my mum not to worry because I didn't have a rash. Four hours later she called for an ambulance of her own accord.

I would say to any mother, if your child screams when you try to touch their chin on their chest get them straight to hospital.

[Firewire]

My friend was feeling very ill on October 9th. She tweeted about how sick she felt. I couldn't get a hold of her as I was going to ask if she was coming to an event that weekend. A few days later I was told she had been rushed to hospital following a seizure. Soon after, she was diagnosed with meningitis (although I do not know the type). She caught it at university. She was in a coma and had been since she was admitted. It took three weeks before she woke. She was unable to speak and had trouble moving. She knew who her family were, but anything strange distressed her.

Today, five months later, she's still not at university. She was learning to be a teacher. She can't follow her dream because of the disease. She is better now than she was in October but she still has problems communicating.

It's an awful disease. It was airborne at University (someone else was diagnosed).

[Marsh.]

My friend was feeling very ill on October 9th. She tweeted about how sick she felt. I couldn't get a hold of her as I was going to ask if she was coming to an event that weekend. A few days later I was told she had been rushed to hospital following a seizure. Soon after, she was diagnosed with meningitis (although I do not know the type). She caught it at university. She was in a coma and had been since she was admitted. It took three weeks before she woke. She was unable to speak and had trouble moving. She knew who her family were, but anything strange distressed her.

Today, five months later, she's still not at university. She was learning to be a teacher. She can't follow her dream because of the disease. She is better now than she was in October but she still has problems communicating.

It's an awful disease. It was airborne at University (someone else was diagnosed).

Bloody hell that's horrible.

[Kizzy]

Not the sudden death of 117 teens Kizzy, it's 117 cases not 117 deaths. Meningitis is scary, granted, but despite the horror stories, the facts are that the majority of people recover from viral meningitis (including this strain). Most people (as in more than half) would actually recover spontaneously without treatment of any kind.

Bacterial meningitis, untreated, is often fatal but Bacterial meningitis can't be vaccinated against - because it's not a virus. It is a killer but its a totally separate condition not related to the type of meningitis mentioned in this story (viral).

Take this sort of "disease scaremongering" with a hefty pinch of salt. Always.

Right ... thanks for that.

I don't believe the NHS have huge wads of money to waste on things that aren't important therefor I feel that this must have caused enough concern to warrant this action.

'There has been a year-on-year increase in the number of meningitis cases caused by MenW since 2009, and infection has been associated with particularly severe disease and high fatality rates in teenagers and young adults. The increasing trend looks set to continue unless action is taken, so the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the body that advises on vaccination for England and Wales, has advised that immunisation against MenW should be routinely offered to all 14 to 18 year-olds.'

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/03March/Pages/All-teens-should-be-vaccinated-against-rare-strain-of-meningitis.aspx

[JoshBB]

wow.

i had a meningitis c (i think) vaccine a few weeks ago.. are they not the same thing?

[Kizzy]

wow.

i had a meningitis c (i think) vaccine a few weeks ago.. are they not the same thing?

That's awful Josh glad your well now, I guess the type or strength of strain you get depends on the severity there's lots of info on that NHS link about them.
Wonder how the'll go about vaccinating all these teens, are you 14-18?

[Kizzy]

There's been 2 cases at Lancaster uni where my daughter is :(

[Marsh.]

I don't think Josh meant he actually had meningitis C. :hehe:

[Kizzy]

Oh yes... sorry josh am chatting to my daughter about this on fb atm and when she said someone there had it I lost it for a min... glad you had the jab.

[Kizzy]

Vaccine being offered now, my son has had a letter about getting it, has anyone on here?


http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/aug/01/new-meningitis-vaccine-to-be-offered-to-uk-teenagers-and-students