Meningococcal Disease and Vaccine: What You Should Know
What is it?
Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by bacteria that can infect the blood or areas around the brain and spinal cord. Infection can lead to brain damage, disability and rapid death.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms may include fever, intense headache, lethargy, stiff neck, and a rash that does not blanch under pressure. Anyone with potential exposure who develops any of these symptoms should immediately contact a healthcare provider or emergency room for evaluation of possible meningococcal disease.

How is it spread?
The bacteria can be spread through close contact, such as sharing drinking glasses, eating utensils, cigarettes, or water bottles. They can also be spread by kissing, smoking and living in close quarters. The time between exposure to the disease and the onset of symptoms can be between two to 10 days. Individuals who had close contact with someone who is infected should receive antibiotics to prevent any possible infection. Preventive antibiotics are not recommended for people who were not in close contact with an infected person, but they should be aware of possible symptoms and make sure they have received the recommended vaccination against the disease.

How do you prevent it?
There are two types of vaccine, MCV4 and MPSV4, that protect against most, but not all, types of Nisseria Meningitidis, a bacteria that can cause meningococcal meningitis. MCV4 is routinely recommended for children and adolescents 11-18 years of age, with an initial dose recommended at age 11-12 and a booster at age 16. People ages 19-21 years who are first-year college students living in a residence hall are also recommended to receive this vaccine if their previous dose was given younger than 16 years of age.

Where can I get more information?
Your doctor or regular source of medical care is your best source of health information. Additional information for the public and health care providers on Meningococcal Disease, as well as the vaccine that protects against most types of the disease, can be found on the CDC's website here.

It's Not Too Late To Get Flu Vaccine!
With the holiday season in full swing, people may not be thinking about the flu and flu vaccine. There's a lot going on as families shop, decorate, plan get-togethers and trips to see relatives and just generally prepare for upcoming holidays.

But the flu is still out there, making people sick. And flu season often doesn't hit its peak until February. So, this is a great time to get flu vaccine if you haven't already. The vaccine is plentiful and easy to get. For more information about the flu and how to get vaccinated, please visit this page.

Protect yourself and those around you.. It's not too late--get flu vaccine!

Random Digit Dialing Telephone Surveys (RDD)
The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency's Immunization Branch conducts Random Digit Dialing (RDD) telephone surveys. Interviewers make phone calls to randomly selected phone numbers to assess immunization coverage rates as well as the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about vaccines among San Diego County residents. Surveys provide valuable data to determine what proportions of children living in San Diego County are fully immunized. The information collected helps us plan programs to do a better job of protecting all San Diegans from vaccine preventable diseases. For more information, please contact Heidi deGuzman, Program Chief, at 866-358-2966.

CDC's Immunization Website For Parents
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an immunization website for parents. Called For Parents: Vaccines for Your Children, it features information about a host of topics of special interest to parents, including recording immunizations, finding old immunization records, vaccinations during pregnancy, what immunizations a child needs before traveling internationally, and much more! Visit the website here.