Bacterial Meningitis & the "At-Risk" Factor of Dormitory Living

Bacterial meningitis is a leading cause of acquired meningitis in adults. Most often affecting children, adults usually acquire bacterial meningitis from their children who have been exposed to the bacterium known as Neisseria meningitides. While not a common illness in children, when bacterial meningitis is diagnosed, it must be treated promptly so as to avoid, often, fatal complications.

Because adults are at risk for acquiring bacterial meningitis, when a child has been diagnosed, most adults who have been in contact with the infected child are also treated with the same medication therapy. In fact, the spread of bacterial meningitis of such a great concern among households, that many physicians recommend obtaining the medication therapy within 24 hours of outbreak.

Today, there is a meningococcal vaccine available to those individuals, over age 11, who often carry the greatest risk for acquiring bacterial meningitis. In children between 11 and 15 years of age, most pediatricians recommend a vaccination with Menactra.

Beyond age 15, only those individuals who are considered "at-risk" should be vaccinated. This includes college students and military personnel who tend to live in dormitory style housing, individuals who travel outside of the United States regularly, and those who suffer from immunocompromised diseases such as HIV or AIDS. For these "at-risk" individuals, the recommended dosing is with a drug known as Menomune.

The most significant factor that prevents many individuals, including children, from receiving the meningitis vaccine is in the cost associated with the drug used. Often, insurance companies and other health protection organizations do not provide coverage for meningitis vaccinations as they are not considered standard and part of your federal immunization requirements. However, when examining the cost of treatment upon infection, against the cost of the vaccination to prevent, most "at-risk" individuals choose to pay the cost of the meningitis vaccine out-of-pocket rather than suffer from the physical and psychological impact of the bacterial infection.