"The Meningitis Centre is striving to eliminate Meningitis in Australia by lobbying for vaccines and educating the community to be aware of the signs and symptoms. The Centre also provides support for families affected by the disease"
Vaccines
Currently there are vaccines for Hib, meningococcal and pneumococcal disease.
Vaccines to protect infants and young children against what used to be the most common form of bacterial meningitis (Hib meningitis) are now part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule in Australia. As a result there has been a sharp fall in the number of cases of Hib since 1992 with more than 95% of cases eliminated. This doesn’t mean that parents shouldn’t be concerned about meningitis anymore. Hib is only one of the many forms of meningitis.
There are two types of vaccine against the most common strains of pneumococcal bacteria. The conjugate pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for children 2 years of age and under and is recommended for high risk infants (eg Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and for non-Aboriginal children with certain immune or chronic medical conditions. For further information about eligibility please speak to your doctor), at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. The Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is available free to all children at 2, 4 and 6 months of age.
The polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax) is available which covers 23 of the more common serotypes or strains, which cause pneumococcal disease in older children and adults. The vaccine is currently part of the the Australian Standard Vaccination Sshedule (ASVS) and is recommended for those persons at high risk of catching the disease. Pneumovax vaacine is recommended for high risk infants, Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years or older, non-Abnorginal people aged 65 or older or anyone with a high risk medical condition e.g. people with no spleen, people with immune diseases or chronic cardiac, renal or pulmonary diseases. (See the NHMRC. Australian Immunisation Handbook. 8th edition ed: Coomonwealth of Australia; 2003) * Please consult your state or territory health department or doctor to confirm eligibility for pneumococcal vaccines.
Pneumovax vaccine is available free to all Australians aged 65 years and over, Indigenous persons aged 50 years and over and Indigenous persons aged 15 to 49 years who have a predisposing medical condition. Ask your doctor for more information about pneumococcal vacciantion eligibility. There may be consultation fee if you are vaccianted by your GP. For those people who are "unfunded" but are recommeded to have the pneumococcal vaccine the vaccine is subsidised through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
The Polysaccharide vaccine gives protection for a limited time and does not provide effective protection in very young children. The polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine is generally used in children and adults older than 2 years of age. Further information and recommendations regarding re-vaccination with the polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine, may be accessed by consulting your doctor, Immunise Australia or your department of health.
You can also find out more about the Childhood Pneumococcal Immunisation Program by visiting http://immunise.health.gov.au/publications.htm (*Please consult your state or territory health department or doctor to confirm eligibility for the pneumococcal vaccines.)
There are also conjugate and polysaccharide meningococcal vaccines available. There is a vaccine available in Australia against group C meningococcal bacteria but not against group B meningococcal bacteria.
From 2003, the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine has been available for children aged one year old to 19-year-old teenagers. A catch up programme to cover all eligible children is being condcuted until the end of June 2006. Further information may also be accessed by consulting your GP or local immunisation clinic, if a child is eligible but has not received the vaccine. The vaccine is now part of the rountine immunisation schedule and is given to children at 12 months of age. Ask your doctor about meningococcal vaccination. The group C conjugate meningococcal vaccine can be administered from 6 weeks of age. One dose of the vaccine is required for anyone over 12 months of age. Parents who wish to give the vaccine to their child before they are 12 months of age may consult their doctor about the number of doses required.
The vaccine is only effective against group C meningococcal bacteria, which cause between 15% and 50% of meningococcal infections in Australia, depending on where you live.
The polysaccharide quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine may be suitable for people older than two years of age. However a booster dose must be given every three years to maintain immunity to the 4 types of meningococcal bacterial groups, A, C, W135 and Y. The vaccine is useful for people travelling to high risk areas such as Africa, the Middle East and Northern India, where epidemics of these meningococcal groups occur regularly.
Children who attend day care and preschool are at greater risk of contracting bacterial meningitis.
Encourage your day care centre or preschool to ensure that all children there have had Pneumococal, Hib and Meningococal C immunisations, as well as the standard childhood immunisation series.
Please visit the 'Vaccination' section of this website for further information about vaccines available in Australia. Vaccination section
Hygiene
The bacteria and viruses that cause meningitis are passed on by close personal contact. This can be from sneezes, coughs, kissing and not washing hands before eating and after going to the toilet. It is advisable to always use a handkerchief or tissues when coughing and sneezing.
The Hib vaccine will NOT protect children against all types of meningitis. This vaccines will only protect children against one type of meningitis and there are other organisms which can also cause the disease. You need to know the symptoms of meningitis.
Disclaimer
The Meningitis Centre is a 'not for profit' support organisation based in Australia, not a professional medical authority. Consequently the text on this web site provides general information about meningitis and septicaemia, not medical advice and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of the diseases. Please consult your doctor to discuss the information or if you are concerned someone may be ill.
