Meningitis
Prevention
Immunization against some of the organisms that can cause meningitis is the most effective way to prevent the illness. Some causes of meningitis that can be prevented by vaccines include:
- Measles, mumps, and rubella viruses. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is routinely given to babies between 12 months and 15 months of age.
- Varicella (chicken pox) virus. The chicken pox vaccine is recommended for babies before the age of 18 months and for older children, teens, and adults who have not had chicken pox.
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) virus. Hib vaccine is recommended for all children between 2 months and 5 years of age and anyone older than 5 who has a medical condition such as sickle cell disease or an impaired immune system .
- Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Immunizations against these bacteria are recommended for people who have medical conditions such as impaired immune systems or people who have had meningitis in the past. Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunizations (NACI) recommends routine vaccination for babies, children, and young adults to protect against certain strains of Neisseria meningitidis. Another type of meningococcal vaccine is recommended for children 2 and older and adults who may have a higher-than-normal risk, such as travellers to countries known to have outbreaks of meningitis, people without a spleen, and those with HIV.5, 6 Routine vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is recommended for children age 2 and younger to help prevent infection from Streptococcus pneumoniae.
For more information, see the topic Immunizations.
Cochlear implants
An association has been found between meningitis and cochlear implants for severe hearing loss. To help protect against meningitis from Streptococcus pneumoniae, experts recommend that people with cochlear implants get the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Also, some people with implants have ear infections before they get meningitis, so people with implants should receive prompt antibiotic treatment for ear infections.
Breast-feeding
Breast-feeding may protect children ages 2 to 5 months against meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria. However, it is still important to give breast-fed babies the Hib vaccine.
For more information about immunizations, see the topic Immunizations.
Reduce your risk
You can take steps to reduce your risk of infection and prevent the spread of meningitis by:
- Avoiding people who have meningitis.
- Separating people with meningitis from other people in the home.
- Washing your hands often if you have meningitis or are caring for someone with meningitis. Wash your hands after using the toilet or helping a sick child use the toilet, after changing a sick baby's diaper, and after handling used bed sheets, towels, clothes, or personal items of a person with meningitis.
- Avoiding insects and rodents that carry organisms that cause meningitis. If you live in or visit an area of the world where there are insects (such as mosquitoes and ticks) and rodents (such as mice and rats) that carry organisms that cause meningitis, take steps to avoid contact with them. For example, use insect repellent and keep all rodents out of your home and other buildings.
If you come in close contact with someone who has bacterial meningitis, taking antibiotics may keep you from getting the illness. For example, a person who has come in contact with the saliva or mucus of someone with meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria may be given the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, or rifampin. However, ciprofloxacin is not usually used in people younger than 16 years of age or in pregnant women. Rifampin also is not recommended for pregnant women.
If you have only casual contact with someone who has meningitis, for example at school or at work, you do not need to take antibiotics.
 Go to previous section |  Go to top of page |  Go to next section |
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH Carrie Henley | Last Updated: April 25, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease | |
 | ||
