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Protect Preteens
Lowndes County Health Department is joining the Georgia Department of Public Health in recognizing March 9-13 as Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week in an effort to keep every adult and child safe. The week serves as a reminder for parents to talk with their preteens and teens about getting immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases, health officials […]
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Hospital Failure
Lewys Crawford’s temperature remained high so his parents decided to take him straight to the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff. Clinicians failed to administer broad spectrum antibiotics until more than six hours after Lewys arrival so the 13-week-old baby boy died the following day of meningococcal septicaemia (Group B). His parents heard at […]
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Life Lost
The University of Canterbury community is mourning the tragic death of a student from meningococcal disease. Canterbury DHB medical officer of health, Dr Ramon Pink said, “Meningococcal disease is a fast-moving illness, which has symptoms similar to a number of other illnesses such as influenza.” If you suspect someone in your family may have meningococcal […]
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School Alert
Ashton-on-Mersey secondary school issued a warning to parents after a student was struck down with meningococcal disease. Public Health England say the bacterial infection can lead to both meningitis affecting the brain & spinal cord or septicaemia (affecting the blood). Many people can carry it without becoming unwell. The letter adds: “Please ensure your child […]
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Vaccination Update
To best protect children & teenagers at different stages of their development from preventable diseases, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released an immunization timetable to outline when and how to vaccinate these young people. New guidelines have been issued for children who had previously received the MenACWY meningitis vaccine before the age of […]
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Cases Drop
Two independent meningitis B studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The first study from the UK first national infant immunisation programme with Bexsero showed impact data. According to Public Health England, over a three year period the total number of meningitis B cases dropped 75%. Children who were not eligible for the […]
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New Protocol
A new law taking effect this September designed to protect New Jersey college students against meningitis outbreaks were signed by legislators. The legislation, revises the requirement for residential students in four-year institutions of higher education to receive immunization against meningococcal disease. Such immunization protocol will now follow more stringent federal guidelines laid out by the Advisory Committee on […]
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First Case
A student at Nazareth School San Diego, who tested positive for meningococcal disease, is undergoing treatment at a local hospital. The County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is working with school officials to identify all close contacts of the ill student to determine if they needed preventive antibiotics. Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public […]
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Risky Behavior
According to a recent study data, the risk for invasive fungal disease is higher among smokers. Annabelle Pourbaix, of the Necker-Pasteur Center for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Paris, and colleagues wrote, “Smoking increases the risk for bacterial pneumonia and meningitis and second-hand smoke exposure is associated with increased risk for childhood invasive meningococcal disease.” Read the […]
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Fast & Deadly
Ashleigh Hunter, a vibrant 26 years, suddenly died from meningococcal disease just days after Christmas. Ashleigh from Geraldton north of Perth, woke on December 27 feeling sick but thought she just had the common cold. Her boyfriend got her cold and flu tablets, but the young woman quickly declined. She was taken to Royal Perth Hospital but died […]
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