Meningitis Vaccine: An Overview
There are several causes of
spinal meningitis. The two most common causes are bacteria and viruses.
Today, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are the leading causes of bacterial meningitis. Just like with Hib, there are meningitis vaccines against some types of N. meningitidis and many types of S. pneumoniae.
Meningitis Vaccine to Prevent Hib
There is a meningitis vaccine to prevent meningitis due to
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The Hib meningitis vaccine is recommended for children two months to five years of age. The
Hib vaccine is also recommended in people over the age of five with certain medical conditions. The Hib meningitis vaccine is very safe and effective, with rare occurrences of side effects.
(Click Hib Vaccine for more information about the vaccine used to prevent meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b.)