Officials brace for short supply of meningitis drug

ATLANTA -- Health officials are bracing for the possibility of shortages of a new shot that prevents the type of meningitis that often spreads on college campuses.

A government panel recommended for the first time Thursday that all 10 million or so 11- and 12-year-olds in the United States get the shot, along with teenagers entering high school and college freshmen living in dormitories.

The problem is that the shot, called Menactra, is so new that the manufacturer will not be fully geared up for a few years, and only 5 million doses are expected to be available this year, said the maker, Sanofi Pasteur.

The shot, approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month, is expected to become available to doctors in March.

Health officials with the panel, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Menactra's predecessor vaccine, Menomune, also created by Sanofi Pasteur, could be used as an alternative in the event of shortages. But Menomune does not provide nearly as much protection as Menactra.

Meningococcal meningitis affects about 3,000 a year in the United States and kills around 300. College freshmen who live in dormitories have the highest rate of the disease in the country -- 5.1 per 100,000 people, according to the CDC.

The vaccine shortages could occur during the next few three years because a new factory that will produce Menactra will not open until 2007 or 2008, said Phil Hosbach, vice president of new products and immunization for the company.

That was one reason the panel decided not to recommend shots for all young people ages 11 to 18.

Meningococcal bacteria infect the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Since the bacteria are spread through contact such as kissing, sharing kitchen utensils and sneezing, people who live in close quarters are most at risk.

The disease can cause lead to amputations and cause brain damage.

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On the Net:

CDC meningitis info: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcal--g.htm