Dangers

The dangers of meningococcal meningitis

Meningococcal disease is rare, but once symptoms of the disease begin, immediate treatment is critical. The disease can move quickly. And even with treatment, the effects can be severe:

  • About 1 in 10 patients die, most within 24-48 hours of the onset of symptoms1
  • Up to 1 in 5 of all survivors suffer from brain damage, loss of hearing, amputation of an arm or leg, or other permanent harm2

You can’t always spot the symptoms in time

Unfortunately, symptoms can be easy to miss or even be mistaken for the flu. So by the time the disease is diagnosed, it could already be too late. Common symptoms include sudden fever, headache, and stiff neck, as well as nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion, and seizures.3,4

Vaccinating preteens or teenagers can help prevent meningococcal disease before it happens.2

Indication

Menveo is a vaccine indicated for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135. Menveo is approved for use in persons 2 to 55 years of age. Menveo does not prevent N. meningitidis serogroup B infections.

Important Safety Information

You should not receive Menveo if you have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient of the vaccine, or if you have had a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine containing similar components as Menveo.

Side effects to Menveo include pain at the injection site, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, and fainting. Sometimes fainting is accompanied by falling with injury. Other side effects may occur.

Following vaccination with another US-licensed meningococcal conjugate vaccine, an evaluation of postmarketing adverse events suggested a potential for increased risk of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). There is not enough information to evaluate if a risk of GBS exists following administration of Menveo.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant.

Vaccination with Menveo may not protect all individuals.

For more information about Menveo, talk to your health-care professional.

Menveo.com has been developed by Novartis Vaccines as part of the company’s commitment to individual and public health.

References

  1. Meningococcal meningitis. World Health Organization Web site. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs141/en/. Accessed March 3, 2010.
  2. Meningococcal: Questions and answers. Immunization Action Coalition Web site. http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4210.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2010.
  3. Meningitis: Myths about meningococcal disease. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Web site. http://www.nfid.org/meningitis/consumers_myths.html. Accessed March 3, 2010.
  4. Meningitis: Meningitis questions & answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/faq.html. Accessed February 18, 2010.

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