WP: Wanted: A Shot At Protection (Shortage Meningitis Vaccine)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/21/AR2006082101111.html

Even as new college students are being barraged with offers mini-refrigerators, laptop computers and other items, freshmen may have to scramble to find a vaccine that could save their lives.

Some doctors and clinics and a major Washington university have depleted their supplies of Menactra, a vaccine that helps protect against potentially deadly or disabling bacterial meningitis.

"I run out all the time," said Alan Rosenthal, owner of Potomac Prompt Medical Care clinic in Rockville. "There's such a huge demand for it, and nobody can get it" easily.

Bacterial meningitis is a swift-acting infection of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. While the disease is rare -- there were 1,361 cases of meningococcal disease in the United States in 2004, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- it kills one out of 10 people who get it and leaves others deaf, brain-damaged or with tissue death that requires the amputation of limbs.

[mcscajun]

1. I'd just heard locally (Northwest NJ) that this was a problem.

Now with this story, I see it's fairly widespread.

:wow:

[acmavm]

2. Yeah, for some damn reason my brother Mike has been in the hospital

twice in nine months with meningitis. The doctors don't know why.

It scares the hell out of me.