Prevention
There are vaccines available (see below), but they don't protect against all strains (serogroups) of meningococcus. So it's important to take other precautions.

Parents, teachers and carers can help prevent the spread of meningococcal disease by keeping a watchful eye – in the home, schoolyard and at sports functions and school camps – to check that good hygiene practice is being followed.

As meningococcal bacteria are passed on via saliva, it's important to warn children against certain practices.

Teach your children not to share food or drinks.

Precautions to take
 DON’T SHARE:
– food, dips, icecreams
– drinks, bottles, straws
– lipstick or lip gloss
– toothbrushes
– cigarettes
– mouth guards
– musical instruments with mouth pieces

Also:
– don’t suck the end of a shared pen or pencil
– don’t suck baby’s dummy before putting it in baby's mouth
– watch out for toddlers sucking and sharing toys

Don't use anyone else's lip gloss or lipstick.

Vaccination
The predominant strains of meningococcal bacteria differ from country to country, and even from region to region. Although there are not vaccines available for all strains of the disease, there is a vaccine for C-strain. Having this vaccine means you will at least be partially protected against meningococcal disease. If your child has received the vaccination for meningococcal C in 3 doses under the age of 1-year old, then your child will need to be vaccinated at 3-years of age to ensure continued protection. Recent studies have shown that the original vaccination of 3 doses will have expired within 3 years.

Travel vaccine
There is a travel vaccine which gives short term protection against some of the strains more common in other countries. Check with your doctor.

Warning
Remember, while vaccination will give you long term protection against the deadly C-strain, it won't protect you from catching another strain with the same symptoms, which can also cause death. So it's still important to be vigilant, and to take other precautions.

It's never too late to be vaccinated.

There are many different strains of meningococcal bacteria, which cause the same disease. In the USA, Group B is responsible for the majority of cases.

In Canada, there are three predominant groups (all causing the same disease).

In Australia, Group B is dominant. There is no vaccination yet available for Group B, although there is now one for Group C.

Copy courtesy Meningococcal Education Inc www.meningococcal.org

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