Who’s at risk

Adolescents and young adults

Now that your child is older, you may not be thinking about vaccinations. And since meningococcal disease is so rare, you probably don’t worry about it. But the need to vaccinate for meningococcal disease is extremely important during adolescence.1

Consider these facts:

  • Adolescents and young adults account for nearly 30% of all US cases each year2
  • The rate of catching the disease for people 17 to 20 years of age is almost double that of the general population3

Everyday adolescent activities can lead to increased risk. Sharing a bite of food, a drink, utensils, or any activity where respiratory secretions, throat secretions, or saliva are exchanged can definitely spread the disease.4 But other lifestyle factors may also contribute, including crowded conditions at college dormitories.5

Other groups at risk

While meningococcal vaccination efforts often focus on young adults and adolescents, there are other groups at increased risk including3:

• College freshmen living in dormitories. A number of states have laws requiring vaccination, even for freshmen past their teens. Get more information about your state’s requirement

• Military personnel including recruits in basic training

• Travelers to areas at greater risk of meningococcal disease, such as certain areas of Africa and other countries

• People with an immune disorder or without a working spleen

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccination for adults who fall into any of these risk groups.6 If you are a part of any of these groups, talk to your healthcare provider about being vaccinated with Menveo®.

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 vaccines: What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-mening.pdf. Accessed February 18, 2010.
  2. Strunk JA, Rocchiccioli JT. Meningococcal meningitis: an emerging infectious disease. J Community Health Nurs. 2010;27:51–58.
  3. Meningococcal: Questions and answers. Immunization Action Coalition Web site. http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4210.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2010.
  4. Meningococcal meningitis. World Health Organization Web site. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs141/en/. Accessed March 3, 2010.
  5. Meningitis: Myths about meningococcal disease. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Web site. http://www.nfid.org/meningitis/consumers_myths.html. Accessed March 3, 2010.
  6. Meningitis: Meningococcal vaccination. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/vaccine-info.html. Accessed March 3 2010.

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