meningitis vaccination

    • Bill
      January 21, 2014 at 6:22 pm

      I have been on IVIG/PE 19+ years. Now my ENT doc wants me to get a meningitis vaccination. My research shows some negative connections with GBS but I have found nothing with CIDP. Any of you have any info?

      Thanks much.

    • GH
      January 21, 2014 at 7:12 pm

      This from the Institute of Medicine’s latest report on adverse effects of vaccines:

      “Conclusion 11.7: The evidence is inadequate to accept or reject a causal relationship between meningococcal vaccine and CIDP.”

    • GH
      January 21, 2014 at 7:16 pm

      The conclusion with respect to GBS is the same, by the way.

    • Bill
      January 21, 2014 at 11:07 pm

      Thanks much,

      Since I posted I stumbled across a report that stated the recommendation that GBS folk not get the vaccination was lifted in 2010 based on an exam of 2,000,000 recipients. I guess I will get it. Thanks a lot I really appreciate your replies.

    • Dawn Kevies mom
      January 22, 2014 at 12:23 am

      What is the reasoning for the vaccine. Are you in a high risk group for meningitis? Aside from figuring out the risk factor of getting a vaccination, I think that while on ivig it is not necessary to get vaccines as you are getting the immunities of 20K or so donors. There was an article in the last ivig living magazine or maybe the issue before talking about vaccines and ivig. You can access it online. Also, wouldn’t PE essentially wash away the vaccine? It would be interesting to have the ent check your titers to see if you have any antibodies for the meningitis vaccine if the ivig does supply with others immunities. In your case with PE maybe anything you get from the ivig is washed away as well as the introduction of a vaccine? Is it a dead or live virus?

    • GH
      January 22, 2014 at 3:34 am

      DK mom, meningococcal didease is caused by bacteria.

      “What kind of vaccines are they?
      The MPSV vaccine is made from the outer polysaccharide capsule (sugar coat) of the meningococcal bacteria. The vaccine does not contain live bacteria. The MCV vaccine contains Neisseria meningitides serogroup A, C, Y and W-135 capsular polysaccharide antigens individually conjugated to diphtheria toxoid protein. The vaccine does not contain live bacteria.” (from the Connecticut Dept. of Public Health)