BAKERSFIELD, CA-- Several cases of students coming down with meningitis on the campus of Princeton University have some parents and students in Kern County concerned. The university is moving forward with a plan to get some of its students the meningitis vaccine. The problem is it's not readily available in the United States.
There have been seven cases of meningitis on the Princeton campus since March, the most recent diagnosed just last week. It's a version of the bacteria known as meningitis B something Kern County is no stranger to. The only vaccine that targets meningitis B is approved for use in Europe and Australia, but not yet in the United States.
However, Princeton University officials announced Monday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Drug Administration are prepared to approve the use of the meningitis B vaccine in this particular case, but only on a voluntary basis, and only to specific groups of higher risk students.
Kern County had cases of meningitis B two years ago, but Dr. Claudia Jonah from the Kern County Department of Public Health says right now there is no cause for concern here.
"Well no, there is not an epidemic going on,” Dr. Jonah said. “We don't have the unusual circumstances that are going on and driving the decisions being made out of state."
Instead she says simple prevention techniques are recommended.
"Usually passed from person to person kind of close contact,” Dr. Jonah said. So if you are sharing lipstick or soda or kissing where you are going to have some exchange of saliva because this germ colonizes the upper respiratory tract. That is where if someone is infected they can pass it to another person."
It's estimated one in ten young adults who develop meningitis B may die, if they're not treated quickly and aggressively.
While health officials say there is not a meningitis epidemic currently in Kern County they continue to stress the importance of regular vaccinations, like flu and pneumonia, especially for the elderly.
There have been seven cases of meningitis on the Princeton campus since March, the most recent diagnosed just last week. It's a version of the bacteria known as meningitis B something Kern County is no stranger to. The only vaccine that targets meningitis B is approved for use in Europe and Australia, but not yet in the United States.
However, Princeton University officials announced Monday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Drug Administration are prepared to approve the use of the meningitis B vaccine in this particular case, but only on a voluntary basis, and only to specific groups of higher risk students.
Kern County had cases of meningitis B two years ago, but Dr. Claudia Jonah from the Kern County Department of Public Health says right now there is no cause for concern here.
"Well no, there is not an epidemic going on,” Dr. Jonah said. “We don't have the unusual circumstances that are going on and driving the decisions being made out of state."
Instead she says simple prevention techniques are recommended.
"Usually passed from person to person kind of close contact,” Dr. Jonah said. So if you are sharing lipstick or soda or kissing where you are going to have some exchange of saliva because this germ colonizes the upper respiratory tract. That is where if someone is infected they can pass it to another person."
It's estimated one in ten young adults who develop meningitis B may die, if they're not treated quickly and aggressively.
While health officials say there is not a meningitis epidemic currently in Kern County they continue to stress the importance of regular vaccinations, like flu and pneumonia, especially for the elderly.