Vaccinations

Influenza is a severe respiratory viral infection that strikes during the winter and is quite contagious. It is particularly devastating to the very young, the very old, those with serious underlying diseases (heart, kidney, lung, cancer, and diabetes), and those with weakened immunity. Approximately 10,000 Americans die yearly from influenza, and in epidemic years 40,000 may die. While it is unlikely that young, healthy adolescents will die from influenza, they could become quite ill. Since college students live in dorms or other group-living situations, influenza could rapidly spread among these groups. The vaccine is extremely safe.

Meningococcal infection causes one of the most terrifying infections in the modern era. A person can be completely healthy, develop a mild rash, and progress within 12 hours to shock and death. Even with rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment, between one-fourth and one-third of patients die. Many who develop meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) but survive are left with brain damage. Those particularly susceptible are young adults in crowded situations — military recruits in barracks, college students in group housing — as well as those with immune problems or those traveling to endemic areas such as Africa. The vaccine is recommended for college students and is moderately protective.

Hepatitis A is spread primarily by food or water and infects a minimum of 100,000 Americans every year. It is very common in developing countries such as those in Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and southern Europe. Shellfish are especially likely to be contaminated with Hepatitis A. While it doesn't tend to cause death or chronic liver disease like Hepatitis B, it can make you very ill. A vaccine released in 1995 is very safe and takes about 2–4 weeks for protection to begin. For those departing for endemic areas in less than a month or inadvertently exposed to Hepatitis A, intramuscular gammaglobulin may be given for temporary protection.

Also called the "pneumonia" vaccine, the pneumococcal bacterium is the most common cause of pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis (blood poisoning) in young children, and the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia, sinus, and ear infections across all age groups. It has now developed resistance to many previously effective antibiotics. Over 40,000 Americans die of pneumococcal infections every year. While the risk for healthy college-age students is remote, certain higher-risk individuals should receive the vaccine — including those with immune problems, cancer, sickle-cell disease, kidney disease, or those without a spleen. Those prone to frequent sinopulmonary infections may also benefit. The protection is long-lived, only one vaccination is needed, and the vaccine is extremely safe, though local swelling may result.

Teenagers who have not received the chickenpox vaccine or have not had chickenpox should get this vaccine. Chickenpox in teenagers and young adults can be a very serious disease, resulting in pneumonia, encephalitis (brain inflammation), bleeding, and other complications. Teenagers should receive 2 doses.

This vaccine is recommended for all newborns, but many teenagers and young adults have not received it. The virus can be transmitted by blood, body secretions including semen, and contaminated needles. Hepatitis B is a very serious disease resulting in over 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. Teenagers and young adults should get this vaccine.

Teenagers must receive a second dose (the first was given during early childhood) to ensure protection. Measles can be a very serious disease in teenagers, resulting in pneumonia, brain inflammation, or hemorrhaging. Mumps can cause sterility, and Rubella (German measles) can cause birth defects if a mother is infected during pregnancy.

These vaccines should be given every 10 years. There is no cure for tetanus once it develops. Diphtheria is extremely rare in the U.S., but if you are planning to travel abroad, vaccination may be wise. Studies in Los Angeles and Sweden indicate that as many as one-half of the adult population may be susceptible to diphtheria.

Killed polio vaccine; recommended especially for travel to Africa or Asia.

A new, safe oral vaccine is now available. Those traveling to endemic areas such as Africa, Southeast Asia, India, or certain parts of South America should check with the Public Health Department.

Yellow fever is prevalent in Africa and South America, and travel to those areas may require vaccination. The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes. Those allergic to eggs should contact an allergist for evaluation before receiving this vaccine.

The following vaccines are rarely used in the United States and may not be required for travel, but you should check with the Public Health Department or the CDC: cholera vaccine, Japanese encephalitis vaccine, anthrax vaccine, rabies vaccine, Lyme disease vaccine, tick-borne encephalitis vaccine (Central Europe including Russia), and BCG vaccine.