<![CDATA[Recent Releases from Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada on SMR]]> http://smr.newswire.ca en Tue, 22 May 2012 09:30:03 -0400 <![CDATA[Meningitis May Be Mistaken for the Flu, Parents Warn]]> Toronto, Ontario (October 26, 2009) – This school year, parents should include an immunization check up to ensure children and adolescents have the best possible protection against invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), a tragic bacterial disease that often begins with symptoms that can be mistaken for common viral illnesses, such as the flu. Invasive meningococcal disease, which includes meningococcal meningitis can progress rapidly, and may even become fatal within 24 to 48 hours.

A group of parents from across Canada are banding together to spread an important message – a lesson they learned far too late.

“At age 9, my son Keaton contracted meningococcal disease strain Y,” explains Ontario mother Katie Grassie. “While my son survived, both of his lower legs had to be amputated.”

IMD strikes approximately 200 Canadians each year – mostly children and teens. This aggressive disease can be spread from one person to another through close contact involving secretions from the nose or throat such as sharing drinks at school, water bottles for sport, utensils for eating, as well as kissing.

“Meningococcal meningitis is a deadly, nasty, and sudden disease that killed our otherwise fit and healthy fifteen year old son,” says British Columbia father Colin Campbell. “Most frighteningly, the early symptoms of his disease gave no warning to just how sick our only child was until it was too late.”

There are five common bacterial strains that cause IMD (A, B, C, Y and W-135). Four of the five strains are vaccine-preventable (A, C, Y and W-135). Strain C has been responsible for outbreaks in the past and has been the main focus of public health immunization programs in Canada. However, according to recent statistics, Menactra® has the potential to prevent up to 80 per cent more cases of meningococcal disease in adolescents (the population that is at highest risk for vaccine-preventable IMD), than the monovalent meningococcal conjugate C vaccine.

“In 1995, I lost my son Michael to meningitis. After his death, I realized how little information was available about the disease, and as a tribute to him, I founded the Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada,” said Kathryn Blain, Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada. “All parents should speak to their doctor about broad protection against meningococcal disease because no child should have to suffer from a vaccine-preventable disease.”

“Immunizing against only one of the four vaccine preventable strains is a missed opportunity, especially since there is a safe and effective vaccine available. Even those adolescents who received the vaccine for meningitis strain C in grade 7 in recent years should be re-immunized with Menactra® to ensure the broadest protection,” said Dr. Saul Greenberg, Community Pediatrician and Associate Professor of Pediatrics. “There is an increased risk of meningococcal disease following influenza infections so given the H1N1 outbreak this year, parents should be extra cautious and speak to their physician about immunizations for their children and ensure they are getting the broadest protection possible.”

Both the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), which advises the Public Health Agency of Canada on vaccines and immunization, and the Canadian Paediatric Society now recommend a dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine in early adolescence.

In addition, many young Canadian children have already received meningococcal conjugate C vaccine as infants or at one year of age. However, these children are still vulnerable to the other vaccine-preventable strains, which Menactra® protects against.

“Although our son was vaccinated against the C-strain of meningococcal meningitis,” continues Campbell “we lost Brodie within hours of his initial flu-like symptoms to the Y strain, which we now know is vaccine-preventable. My hope is that no other family has to go through this experience.”

Ontario recently announced that it will roll out a new routine immunization program for all grade seven children, to protect them against all four vaccine preventable strains of IMD with Menactra®. New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories have also implemented routine Menactra® adolescent immunization programs. Menactra® is also available across the country for those not covered by the routine programs, and parents need only speak to their child’s physician to receive a prescription for the vaccine.
 
Mary Clough is another mother who hopes her daughter’s tragic experience with the disease will inspire parents to speak with their physician about broad vaccine protection against meningococcal meningitis. Overnight, this serious bacterial infection took the life of her college-aged daughter, who contracted the disease during the school year.

“When Macey died from meningococcal septicemia, she had not been vaccinated. It wasn’t until after Macey died that we knew what meningitis was or that there was a vaccine that could have prevented her death. Our family learned about this devastating disease too late. Macey died in less than 24 hours from the onset of her flu-like symptoms. Don’t let it happen to your family.”

To learn more about how to protect against all four vaccine-preventable strains of meningococcal meningitis, visit the Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada website at meningitis.ca, or visit menactra.ca.

For further information, or to arrange an interview with Dr. Greenberg or one of the parent advocates, please contact:

Laine Jaremey, MS&L
T: (416) 847-1321
E: laine.jaremey@mslworldwide.com

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