Lithuanians look for vaccine against meningococcal infection in Latvia

After four children died in Lithuania from meningococcal infection in the first months of 2016, stores of vaccine against this infection ran out quickly in this country. Now Lithuanians look for vaccination options in Latvia, as reported by LNT News.

Unfortunately, even in Latvia the vaccine is not available in many healthcare institutions.

Meningococcal infection can show different symptoms and have different vectors of infection. This disease is not common in Latvia. However, a few cases are registered every year regardless. Vaccination against meningococcal infection is voluntary.

Adults usually have high resistance to this disease, so they rarely get it. Small children, on the other hand, do not have a strong enough immune system. This is why this disease is especially dangerous to them.

Children’s Clinical University Hospital explains that the disease can appear suddenly. Parents may not think much of it initially. Often parents consider it no more dangerous than a simple virus or cold. The disease can be cured, but it is important to turn to doctors as soon as possible, because the infection can spread in a child’s organism in a matter of hours.

The disease can have all kinds of consequences for the infected person’s health and life.

Four children fought for their lives in CCUH’s Intensive Therapy Ward last year. All of them managed to overcome the disease, but they were not vaccinated. Vaccines available in Latvia cost around EUR 20.

CCUH currently has no vaccine. Neither do the Health Centre 4 and Latvia’s Infectology Centre. Vaccines have short shelf life. Often stores of the vaccine go out quickly, because it is not in demand. Travellers headed to Africa and other regions affected by the disease use it.

State Agency of Medicines explains that securing the vaccine is the responsibility of each separate health institution.

According to information from healthcare services, 405 units of the vaccine were procured in Latvia in 2015 and 112 units the year before. Four people have been diagnosed with this disease so far in 2016 (seven in 2015; even fewer cases in previous years).

BNN/LETA 

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