American Society for Meningitis Prevention

#TBT | Ten years ago, our Co-Executive Director, Patti Wukovits, stood before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to share her powerful testimony on the devastating impact of meningitis through the loss of her previously healthy teenage daughter, Kimberly, to #MeningitisB before the #MenB vaccine was available in the U.S. A decade later, the fight continues. With meningococcal cases on the rise and critical decisions ahead for ACIP, our work is more important than ever. While we wait for the ACIP to regroup and discuss meningococcal vaccination, we remain committed to ensuring that every young person has access to the full protection available—including the MenACWY and MenB vaccines and the new pentavalent vaccine. Together, we must continue advocating for stronger policies, greater awareness, and broader protection to help ensure that no other life is necessarily lost to this devastating disease.

Meet Mariana M. Rodrigues, our Communications Director! ???? Through strategic messaging and powerful storytelling, Mariana ensures that our advocacy doesn’t just raise awareness but that it drives change and saves lives. Thank you, Mariana, for sharing your expertise in communications to help us fulfill our mission of achieving a world without meningococcal meningitis. Learn more about our work and our team: tinyurl.com/yht6rund.

We are saddened to hear that a student at the University of Virginia (UVA) has tested positive for meningococcal meningitis. Our thoughts are with them and their family, and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. To those in the #UVA community, please stay alert to the signs and symptoms of meningococcal #meningitis, as it can progress rapidly, and early symptoms can often be mistaken for the #flu. Early recognition and prompt medical attention are critical. Learn more about meningococcal meningitis and how to protect yourself: https://lnkd.in/ekESsK7h. Source: https://lnkd.in/gzHHkTTQ.

Today we stand with our advocate, Kristen, as she honors the memory of her daughter, Lindsay, who would have turned 36 today. ?? Tragically, eight months after her first and only birthday, Lindsay passed away from #MeningitisB. Together, we can honor Lindsay’s memory and prevent more families from experiencing this heartbreaking loss by spreading the importance of prevention through the vaccines that can now protect children from this devastating disease. With that, we urge you to ensure the children and teenagers in your life are protected against all five serogroups of meningococcal meningitis: A, B, C, W, and Y. Learn more and take action today: meningitisprevention.org.

An unvaccinated school-age child has died from measles in West Texas, according to Texas health officials. AAP President Susan Kressly said, “As a pediatrician, I am heartbroken to learn that a child has died from measles. This is a tragic and devastating loss, and our thoughts are with the family and community affected. One death from a preventable disease is one too many.” The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine protects children from serious illness. However, when immunization rates drop in a community, measles can spread and put children at risk. “No parent should have to experience the loss of a child to a preventable disease. Vaccines save lives. Pediatricians are here to talk with families about their child's health, including how they can access vaccines. We must support immunization programs so that children in every community get the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong,” said Dr. Kressly. Read AAP's full statement: https://lnkd.in/g3aqncvZ

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Penmenvy, a new pentavalent meningococcal vaccine for use in individuals aged 10 to 25. Penmenvy joins Penbraya as an option to prevent meningococcal meningitis by offering protection against ALL 5 serogroups of bacteria most likely to cause disease (A, B, C, W, and Y). While the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting scheduled for later this week has been canceled, we remain optimistic that they will reconvene as soon as possible to discuss the use of this newly available tool and current meningococcal vaccine recommendations in the United States to protect Americans from this devastating disease.

The February Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ACIP meeting, originally scheduled for next week, has been postponed. While this news isn't entirely surprising, it is still disappointing. These meetings play a vital role in reviewing vaccine schedules and policies that protect our communities from preventable diseases. In response, we are gearing up to take action! We are mobilizing an effort to educate healthcare leaders on the importance of these meetings and the impact of vaccinations. Stay tuned to hear how YOU can help. We need your help more than ever. This will be a critical time to share the stories of those personally affected by meningitis and for all our advocates – regardless of personal experience – to speak out about why vaccination is so essential. You can read more here: https://lnkd.in/eSA5YPEV.

Lots of changes and uncertainty for all of us working in public health at the moment, but our mission has never felt more important. ?? We’re beyond grateful for our incredible advocates who are out there every day, ensuring their communities have the info they need to stay safe from meningococcal #meningitis. This week has been all about packing and sending out educational materials—so many requests! Just sent out the latest batch this morning! A huge thank you to all our advocates and partners—your support means everything, now more than ever! Want to help? Contact us here: https://lnkd.in/ebK2MRrz #vaccineswork #comingtoamailboxnearyou

This is a small reminder that global collaboration is key to defeating this devastating disease and that we all have a role to play in the quest to #DefeatMeningitis. For us at the American Society for Meningitis Prevention, that means enhancing education and raising awareness about the critical need for prevention, championing policies that support the equitable distribution of vaccines, and training a national group of advocates to lead local-level change in their own communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) remains an essential platform for countries to collaborate, share expertise, and drive progress. We look forward to continued collaboration and to seeing how global efforts are advancing at the World Health Assembly in May. https://lnkd.in/emzNwq-J

#DYK: The pentavalent vaccine protects against all five types of meningococcal bacteria most likely to cause meningococcal meningitis: A, B, C, W, and Y. By combining MenACWY and MenB protection, the pentavalent vaccine can simplify adolescent vaccination and reduce the number of vaccine visits. ? Ask your pediatrician or healthcare provider if the pentavalent vaccine is right for your teen at their next visit! Visit meningitisprevention.org for more information about #meningitis vaccines.