Meningitis vaccination??

z's playa · Jun 14, 2004

Hello all,
I was wondering...I have the option of getting vaccinated for meningitis before starting clinicals...have any of you ever done this and would you recommend that I do it?? I have my Hep shots, MMR, flu, tetnus etc...but I really haven't heard enough about this one. :chair:
Thanks for the advice...

Good question. I have the option too and since we will be working in a risky environment, I don't see why we shouldn't get it. But I hope someone answers you soon since I'm going to get my entry vaccines tomorrow. BTW...how did you feel after all your shots? Were you sick at all? Could anyone please answer this because I go tomorrow and I have finals the day after. :) Thank you.

Blackcat99 · Jun 14, 2004

Yes I would go for the meningitis vaccination. I took a bunch of "shots" before I went to India and I didn't get sick at all from the shots. Unfortunately, a young tourist from Italy at my hotel got meningitis and died. I was told that he went shopping all day and was fine. The next day he felt really sick and died

z's playa · Jun 14, 2004

Bumping this up because I really need to know if these shots (hep a and c ) will make me sick so I can prepare or cancel. :sniff:

Mandarella · Jun 14, 2004

No, I didn't get sick from the Hep shots. My arm was a little sore but that was it. Even if you did feel a little blah...I would still get it, "just in case". Good Luck to you.

I think I am going to get the Meningitis vaccination. Thanks!

Bumping this up because I really need to know if these shots (hep a and c ) will make me sick so I can prepare or cancel.

Mandarella · Jun 15, 2004

How did it go??? Did you get your shots???

Good question. I have the option too and since we will be working in a risky environment I don't see why we shouldn't get it. But I hope someone answers you soon since I'm going to get my entry vaccines tomorrow. BTW...how did you feel after all your shots? Were you sick at all? Could anyone please answer this because I go tomorrow and I have finals the day after. :) Thank you.[/quote']

z's playa · Jun 15, 2004

How did it go??? Did you get your shots???

Hmmph. I got there and my nurse's sister died so she had to leave for a week. (sad) But anyways...she never even recorded that she gave me the Mantoux test and the nurse at the other station wouldn't touch me as a result. Sooo....no shots for me. My TB test looks negative though. As if I was worried. :uhoh3:

2 exams tomorrow..a migraine coming on and a sore throat. Hows them apples? :chuckle

Thanks for remembering. :) :)

nursebedlam · Jun 15, 2004

Vaccine Strategies

The meningococcal vaccines currently approved for use in humans are made from the variant, purified capsular polysaccharides, which are characteristic of the bacteria membrane.

More info.....

http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_160/Projects1999/bmenin/nmenin.html

sherichance · Jun 15, 2004

In my own personal experience I would get the Meningitis shot. I actually developed meningitis when I was in the 6th grade. Talk about horrible. This was 14 years ago so we didnt know as much about it as we do now. I would rather go through childbirth 10 times again than have meningitis. I was in the hospital in isolation for so long and I was lucky enough to survive.

Still Riding · Jun 15, 2004

I have had my Meningitis shot, because their was an outbreak in my city (with lots of teenagers getting very sick and deiing) so their was a city wide vaccine program one winter.

the one problem with the meningitis vaccine is that it works against the capsule of the virus. meningitis has many forms of the capsule, and for some reason we are unable to cover one of the capsule types (B i think it is, but i'm not completly sure) because everytime they try to cover that capsule it counteracts with brain tissue (not in a positive way). So the reason the vaccine isn't wide spread is becasue it does not cover the all forms of the bacteria.

But I still have mine, hope that helps.

SR

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2004

I have never gotten ill from any vaccine, except to run a temp with the smallpox vaccine WAY BACK IN 1965. I would take it, as you will be exposed to all sorts of stuff. Also, as a pedi nurse, I can tell you that bacterial meningitis is nasty.

TMPaul · Jun 15, 2004

Bumping this up because I really need to know if these shots (hep a and c ) will make me sick so I can prepare or cancel.

There is no current vaccination available for Hepatitis C, only A and B. Both of those are synthetic vaccines and will not make you sick.