CDC advises that teens, adolescents get meningitis vaccine

11:35 AM PDT on Saturday, August 20, 2005

By JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News

Like many teens, Carl Buher couldn't wait to get his driver's license, but in his case, it was a huge undertaking.

Two years ago, after a football game, the La Conner High School student came down with a nasty case of bacterial meningitis.

"Flu, that's what I thought it was,” he said.

Carl can't remember much more about that time, but his mother does.

“He was in a coma for a month, and we didn't know when he woke up if he was still going to be Carl,” she said.

Both of his lower legs and three fingers had to be amputated. Then came the long recovery: a wheelchair, skin grafts, physical therapy.

"I don't think I started feeling back to normal until this year,” said Carl.

KING

Carl, the once aspiring athlete, is now putting his energies into architecture, helping his dad draw up plans for their house remodel.

"When you look at 35 percent bad outcomes It's a pretty devastating disease and the people that do survive have longlasting problems,” said Dr. Jean Haulman of the University of Washington.

That's why Dr. Haulman is so adamant about vaccinations, not only for college freshmen, but for teens and adolescents as young as 11.

"It's a good idea for younger children because they go away to camp, in schools in close quarters. They're just as much at risk as adolescent and college students,” she said.

Best choice, she says, is the newest version of the meningococcal vaccine, which lasts 10 years rather than three and eliminates the carrier stage of the disease, which the older vaccine does not.

Carl's mom can't understand why more teens aren't getting the shot.

“Even some of the parents, our friends, who have kids Carl’s age that came to the hospital and saw him when he was down to 119 pounds and couldn't even get himself out of bed haven’t gotten their kids vaccinated because they don't believe it can happen to them,” she said.

But Carl is proof that it can happen - and with devastating results.

"I don't want anybody else to go through it. It's the worst experience I've ever had,” said Carl.

Carl has even been vaccinated because he could get meningitis again. The once aspiring athlete is now putting his energies into architecture, helping his dad draw up plans for their house remodel. As far as he’s concerned, the future looks bright.

"That's how I feel; every day's a blessing,” he said.

Given that the newness of the latest vaccine, the manufacturer is having trouble keeping up with demand. In response, many clinics are currently giving first priority to college freshmen.