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Saint John Mother Wants Routine Meningitis B Vaccines After Nearly Losing Daughter

Lindsay Stewart, seen in this photo during her recovery, spent 10 days in hospital last year after contracting bacterial meningitis. (Submitted by Julie Stewart)

After almost losing her daughter to meningitis last year, Julie Stewart has a warning for other parents in New Brunswick — unless you booked a separate vaccine and paid about $300 for it, your child is not vaccinated against meningitis B. 

"She got very sick, very quickly. Please educate yourself," said Stewart. 

She said parents are often under the mistaken belief that their children have been immunized against it as part of the province's routine immunization schedule. Children are immunized against several other strains, but not B. 

Meningitis B is a strain of invasive meningococcal disease, which can be fatal for up to 10 per cent of people who get it. It can also have long-lasting effects for those who survive. 

Post-secondary students are particularly vulnerable because of the nature of their close living quarters, which is why Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island began targeted immunization programs. 

'Am I going to die?'

It all started on June 30, 2023, when Lindsay Stewart felt like she was catching a cold. She was sore all over and started vomiting. By that evening, she developed a very bad headache. 

Julie said her daughter's jaw hurt so badly she couldn't eat anything — and anything she did manage to swallow didn't stay down, including Tylenol. 

WATCH'It went badly so quickly': Mom describes how quickly meningitis B nearly took her daughter 28 days ago

Duration 1:09

Saint John mom Julie Stewart encourages other parents — particularly those of university-age children — to consider paying for a vaccine that protects against the strain of meningitis that nearly killed her daughter.

She resisted any suggestion of going to the hospital, but when there was no improvement on the second day, she relented.

"My head was still killing me. There was no relief. Neither of us had slept all night. And around 5:30 in the morning, my mom said, 'No, Lindsay, we have to go to the hospital.'"

By 10 a.M., bacterial meningitis was strongly suspected and by noon, a cerebrospinal fluid analysis confirmed it. 

"I've seen spinal fluid in my career and it should be clear, like water, and hers looked like skim milk," said Julie, who works in the hospital laboratory.

She said the results were categorized as "critically abnormal." By that time, Lindsay was even experiencing partial hearing loss. 

"And so at one point, she had woken up and she said, 'Mom, don't people die from meningitis?' And I said, 'Yeah, they can.' And she said, 'Am I going to die?'"

As soon as she knew her daughter was going to be OK, Julie started asking questions, because even Lindsay thought she had been vaccinated. 

"We all thought that I was covered for meningitis. And so it was really surprising to hear that I wasn't covered for meningitis B, which is actually the most dangerous one."

Follow Nova Scotia, P.E.I., says mom

In Nova Scotia, anyone 25 and under entering post-secondary studies for the first time and who will be living in a dormitory or other residence is eligible, as are "first-time military recruits who will be living in a congregate setting such as a military barrack."

Since the program started in May 2023, there have been 5,670 vaccines given to people aged 17 to 25 years, according to Amanda Silliker, a communications adviser with the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness. 

In P.E.I., free shots are now available to all students attending a post-secondary school — whether out of province or on the Island — and for military recruits. A government spokesperson said the province distributed 2,500 doses last year. 

In a government news release announcing the vaccine program in April 2023, Dr. Heather Morrison, the Island's chief public health officer, said post-secondary students living in residence "are at higher risk of developing invasive meningococcal disease due to their age in combination with the number of students residing together in close quarters."

WATCHA warning for other post-secondary students: All strains of meningitis not covered for New Brunswickers 28 days ago

Duration 0:33

After surviving a serious bout of bacterial meningitis last year, Lindsay Stewart, 20, has a warning for other students — you're probably not covered for meningitis B.

Lindsay would like to see New Brunswick follow suit — and not just for students in residence. 

"I didn't live in residence, but all of my friends do and did," she said. 

Lindsay realizes how lucky she was and how fortunate it was to have a mom who's a health-care worker.

"I am glad that I'm the one that got it, and not any of my friends while they were away, because my mom was here and ... Made me go to the hospital. But I know that if I was away, I never would have gotten one of my friends to take me to the hospital." 

Her mom is particularly worried about students leaving home for university. 

"If I were on the phone with Lindsay, I wouldn't have known how sick she was. And yeah, she probably wouldn't have gotten there in time," said Julie.

N.B. Vaccinates against A,C,Y&W, but not B

A spokesperson for the New Brunswick Department of Health said the province "at this time" doesn't provide the meningococcal type B vaccine through its routine schedule.

"Current National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) advice does not recommend including the meningococcal B vaccine in routine immunization programs," said Katelin Dean in an emailed response. 

"In New Brunswick, the meningococcal serogroup B vaccine is available to those who are identified as having close contact with a case or are at higher risk of invasive meningococcal disease."

Dean also said the vaccine "can be administered through pharmacies at a cost."

NACI recommends against routine B vaccines

In Canada, there are roughly 100 to 400 cases of meningitis reported every year, according to the Meningitis Foundation Canada.

Since 1993, most cases of infection in Canada can be attributed to the B and C strains, according to a report to Health Canada from a task group examining meningococcal B vaccines. While incidence of group C has actually declined significantly in recent years because of vaccination, outbreaks of B have continued, particularly on college campuses, according to the report. 

Despite that, the group did not recommend including B in routine immunization programs.

It does, however, continue to recommend immunization against serogroup B invasive meningococcal disease for anyone at a higher risk of disease due to an underlying medical condition or at an increased risk of exposure. 

Meningitis C Almost Wiped Out By Vaccine

The lives of up to 50 children have been saved in the last year by the introduction of a revolutionary new vaccine for meningitis C, the Government announced today.

Cases of the potentially fatal brain disease have fallen by 75% since all under-18s in England and Wales have been immunised.

Experts said they eventually hoped to prevent up to 150 deaths from the C strain of meningitis every year and almost obliterate the disease.

The UK is the first country in the world to develop and introduce a meningitis C vaccine and 18 million babies, children and teenagers have been vaccinated since its introduction in November 1999.

New figures released by the Department of Health today showed that cases of the disease have fallen by 90% among 15 to 17-year-olds in England and Wales, from 50 in 1999 to just five last year.

Just six babies under a year old contracted the disease in 2000 compared with 32 in 1999 - a reduction of 82%.

Overall the incidence of the disease among under-18s has fallen by 75%, with experts estimating that 500 cases and 50 deaths have been prevented.

Chief medical officer Professor Liam Donaldson said: "This is a wonderful achievement and has dealt a hammer blow to meningitis C - an extremely serious illness if not prevented by the measures we have taken.

"I urge any parent of children and young people under 18 not yet vaccinated to take advantage of the safe and effective protection the vaccine offers and make an appointment to see their GP. There is no need for any child to go unprotected."

Children have been targeted in the immunisation campaign because they are the highest risk group and as yet there are no firm plans to offer the jab to adults, although experts are investigating patterns of the disease in those over 18.

Around 40% of meningitis cases relate to the C strain of the disease, with 60% accounted for by the B strain.

There is still no vaccine for the B strain, although experts in the Netherlands have developed a prototype which British scientists are now looking at.

A B strain vaccine developed in Cuba does not work in under-fives and it targets a different strain of the disease from the one prevalent in the UK.

Experts also dismissed fears over the meningitis C vaccine, saying the risks were minimal.

Dr David Salisbury, the Government's Head of Immunisation said: "With this vaccine we are seeing the disappearance of a disease. I believe the vaccine has been shown to be highly effective and completely safe.

"Any risks associated with the vaccine are nothing compared to the risks associated with the disease."

Sixteen youngsters have died after having the vaccine, but none of the deaths have been found to be related to the jab.

Ministers hailed today's news as a success story for the National Health Service.

Health Minister Yvette Cooper said: "It shows that the Government was right to bring this vaccine in as rapidly as possible and vaccinate so many children, once it was shown that the vaccine was safe and effective."

In the last six months of 2000, England and Wales went for 22 weeks without a single case of meningitis C in babies under one, compared to just five weeks with no cases in the last six months of the previous year.

From now on only babies of two, three and four months will be vaccinated as routine because all other children should now be protected. Experts believe that once given, the jab should protect from the disease for life.

Denise Vaughan, chief executive of the Meningitis Research Foundation said: "We congratulate the Government on the success of the vaccination programme which has been produced through the commitment of all concerned to vital scientific research.

"The Foundation is delighted at the impact the vaccine has had in the age groups immunised but believes this reinforces the importance of continued awareness and further research until vaccines are available to protect against all forms of meningitis and septicaemia.

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Meningitis: Infants, Young Kids At Higher Risk, Vaccines May Help, Say Experts

New Delhi: Infants and young children are at higher risk of meningitis, but vaccines can prevent it in some cases, said experts on World Meningitis Day on Saturday.

World Meningitis Day is observed every year to raise awareness about the deadly and debilitating disease, which strikes quickly and causes serious health harm.

While it affects people of all ages in every part of the world, children are particularly vulnerable.

Over 5 million people are affected by meningitis every year, and around half of all meningitis deaths are in children under 5 years old.

"Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes (meninges) covering the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by various infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, as well as non-infectious conditions like cancer or head injuries," Dr Anshu Rohtagi, Senior Neurologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told IANS.

Common symptoms of meningitis include sudden onset of fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion or difficulty concentrating, sleepiness or difficulty waking up, and skin rash (in some cases).

There are several types of meningitis: bacterial, tubercular, viral, fungal, and parasitic.

Bacterial meningitis is of particular concern. About 1 in 6 people who get this type of meningitis die and 1 in 5 have long-lasting disabilities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Yet many of these deaths and disabilities are preventable with vaccines.

It ranges from 3 to 6 cases per 100,000 population annually in India, according to a 2023 report.

Dr Deepak Yadav, Consultant, Neurology, Amrita Hospital Faridabad told IANS that "infants and young children are at higher risk" of meningitis.

The disease is also common among individuals with weakened immune systems, and those living in crowded environments, such as refugee camps.

Vaccines are available for some types of bacterial meningitis, such as the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine, pneumococcal vaccines, and meningococcal vaccines.

The experts also called for good hygiene practices such as regular handwashing, avoiding sharing utensils, and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing can help prevent the spread of infections.

"If you suspect meningitis, it's crucial to seek immediate medical attention due to the potential severity of the condition," Rohtagi said.

Yadav called for educating the public about symptoms and the importance of early medical attention to improve outcomes.

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