Health Services holding meningitis group B vaccine clinic

Health Services is inviting students to take advantage of a meningitis group B (MenB) vaccine clinic that will be held on campus later this month.

MenB is on the rise and now represents about a third of bacterial meningitis cases in the U.S. While all incoming students are required to have one or two meningococcal quadrivalent vaccines, they do not protect against MenB. The MenB vaccine is not yet routinely recommended for college students, however immunization authorities agree that sufficient evidence exists to encourage individual clinical decision making.

Health Services is working with the Wellness Company to administer the MenB vaccine to students. The vaccine requires two doses administered one month apart, and the fee is $25 per dose.

The first vaccine clinic will be held from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 in the Miley Hall executive dining room, with the second clinic scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 26. Only students who receive the vaccine during the first clinic will be eligible for the second clinic.

Advance registration is required. To register, visit the Wellness Company website and enter the password “salveu.”

Meningococcal disease, a potentially life-threatening illness, is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the U.S. Although the incidence of meningococcal disease is relatively low in the United States (less than one in 100,000 per year), the disease kills 10-15 percent of those infected and an additional 10-20 percent will suffer from permanent disabilities. The highest rates of meningococcal disease in the adolescent and adult population are within the ages of 18-23, with college students at a very high risk.

For more information on MenB or the vaccine clinic, contact Health Services at (401) 341-2904 or healthservices@salve.edu.