We continue with the series of entries that we started a few months ago to talk about vaccines, one by one, and today it is the turn of one of those administered first, after two months: the meningitis C vaccine.
The meningitis vaccine It is currently administered at the age of 2 months and its mission is to protect the baby from being infected by type C meningococcus, which is not the most dangerous or frequent (the B is worse and the vaccine is not being used). Then it is put back at 6 months, sometime after the year (12 to 18 months, normally) and again in adolescence.
This fourth dose was administered recently, since only a few months ago only three were considered necessary. When a decrease in protection in adolescents is observed, it has been added at 12-13 years.
What is meningitis?
The meningitis It is a contagious disease caused by various viruses or bacteria. In this case we talk about the type C meningococcus, which is a bacterium that can not only cause meningitis (inflammation of the layers that surround the brain and spinal cord), but also a sepsis, which is an even more serious condition.
The most exposed are young children and adolescents, who in many cases can even be carriers of the bacteria in the throat, being able to infect other children without becoming infected.
The most common symptoms are fever, changes in consciousness, nausea and vomiting, purple areas, such as bruising on the skin, red spots on the skin (petechiae), headache, neck stiffness, irritability, bulging fontanelles, etc.
Being a bacterium the treatment is antibiotic, but sometimes the infection progresses so quickly that the treatment is not effective and the child dies. The best tool, not to reach that point, is prevention with vaccines that can cause these infections. And in this case, with the meningitis C vaccine.
Where is it administered?
Babies, that is, when they are put at birth, at 2 and 6 months, they are given intramuscular route (inside the muscle) in the leg. In the quadriceps, to be more exact. Formerly it was administered in the buttock, but it has been seen that the absorption is worse, with muscles such as deltoids (in the shoulder, but not recommended in babies) and the quadriceps being of choice. Once they pass the year, the third and fourth doses are administered in the shoulder.
Side effects of the meningitis vaccine
The meningitis vaccine It has few adverse effects, being also mild. The most frequent are redness of the area, swelling and pain. It can also make the child have a fever and be irritable. So in the first 24-48 hours you have to keep checking the temperature in case we notice it hot, in case it is necessary to give some syrup.
Photos | Tom & Katrien, Carlos Reusser Monsalvez on Flickr
More information | Medline Plus, VaccinesAEP
In Babies and more | 180,000 children die each year from neonatal tetanus, "Vaccines are very effective in preventing disease." Interview with Carlos González (I) and (II), Ten things we should know about vaccines
