New meningitis vaccine could stop outbreaks
Health officials say, “a new meningitis vaccine will help prevent epidemics in Africa for the first time, revolutionizing how doctors fight outbreaks of the deadly disease.” (M. Cheng, AP Medical, 6/30). About 80,000 cases of meningitis, a deadly infection in the lining surround the brain and spinal cord, struck Africa last year. About 4,000 of those cases resulted in death.
Meningitis is highly contagious and even when caught early, up to 10 percent of patients die within 2 days. Thus, it is particularly problematic in developing nations where treatment is difficult to mobilize, which allows the disease to spread rapidly.
The new vaccine, which was approved by the World Health Organization last week, is particularly promising in developing countries because prior vaccines did not last long enough to prevent outbreaks. Additionally, the vaccine can be used to immunize infants who tend to be the most vulnerable to the disease.
The new vaccine allows for planning ahead to prevent outbreaks, not just responding to outbreaks that have already begun. As a medical malpractice attorney in Chicago, I believe that the advantages of this new vaccine cannot be overstated and am hopeful that the necessary funding and continued research will safe many lives in developing countries.
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