Meningitis: defeated at last?

[cal04]

Parents live in fear of this infection. It targets the young and strikes with horrificspeed. One in 10 dies, and many others suffer permanent disabilities. But yesterday scientists revealed a startling breakthrough
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/meningitis-defeated-at-last-828286.html

By Jeremy Laurance
The annual scourge of deaths and severe illness caused by meningitis could be consigned to the history books after scientists announced startling results from trials of a potential vaccine.

In the most significant advance in a decade, researchers say they have obtained powerful immune responses in 150 British infants on whom the vaccine was tested, suggesting it would be protective against the group B type of the disease.

An effective vaccine against meningitis B is the holy grail of meningitis research and could virtually eliminate the devastating bacterial infection from Britain and other European countries. Vaccines against group C meningitis, which was introduced in 1999, and Hib meningitis in 1992, have reduced these causes of the disease by more than 90 per cent.

Ray Borrow, the head of the vaccine evaluation department at the Health Protection Agency in Manchester, said: "I believe we should be very excited indeed. Ten years ago we had success with a vaccine against group C disease but, so far, we have had no real prospect of controlling group B disease.

[hisownpetard]

1. I almost died from meningitis and encephalitis. Was in a coma for quite a while.

This vaccine would be a wonderful thing.

[mzmolly]

2. Very interesting, I hope it's a success.

K and R.

[Name removed]

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[Fire_Medic_Dave]

4. Are you serious?

There are nearly 3,000 cases every year in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 10-12 percent of the cases are fatal (about 300 to 360). We had 2 fatal cases last year and had to treat 6 firefighters who were exposed when they treated the patient. There are fairly large outbreaks at colleges once or twice a year.

David