meningitis C factsheet

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THE DISEASE
Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges; the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. There are two types of meningitis, viral and bacterial. Viral meningitis isn’t usually very serious and clears up on its own without treatment. Bacterial meningitis is very serious and can be fatal if not treated promptly. (1)

Symptoms
Fever as high as 39oC, stiff neck, lethargy, severe persistent headache, intolerance of bright light, dizziness, vomiting, lapses in consciousness, purple-red rash that doesn’t fade when pressed with a glass, and – if the person is under 18 months of age – a bulging fontanelle.

Symptoms of viral meningitis are severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting and a mildly stiff neck. This illness is much milder than bacterial meningitis and can often be mistaken for a bad dose of the flu. (2)

Causes of meningitis
The meningococcal bacteria is carried by many people in their noses and throats and only becomes a problem when the immune system becomes overloaded, causing the bacteria to take over the body. (3, 4) It is estimated that 1 in every 10 people carry the bacteria during an “epidemic”, but only a tiny fraction of those go on to develop the disease.
Dr. James Tyler Kent of the USA said:

“Bacteria, the little fellows we see under the microscope, are never the cause of disease but the result of it. The so-called germs of disease cannot exist in a healthy person, but are the products of a diseased condition.” (5)

Treatments
The first course of treatment for meningitis is the administration of antibiotics, but there are also other alternative therapies that can help, including homoeopathic remedies.

Aconite can be given if the illness accompanies a head injury, Bryonia to improve consciousness and Belladonna if the person is very hot. Belladonna is also an anti-inflammatory and may help reduce brain swelling.
Chinese herbalists can treat it with herbal laxatives, herbal anti-inflammatory agents and diaphorics.
Once a person has got over the worst, recovery can be aided by reflexology – a practitioner can give an individualistic treatment based on that persons symptoms, as can accupressure as well. (6)

The vaccine
The new vaccine released in October 1999 is for meningitis C and septicaemia. It will be given at 2, 3 and 4 months of age, along with the DPT, polio and hiB vaccines, again at 12 -15 months with the MMR, at 5 years old with the pre-school boosters and at 15-17 years of age, as well as older students entering university. (7)

Composition
Meningitis C vaccine contains: meningococcal group C oligosaccharide and corynebacterium, diphteriae CRM protein (it fails to disclose what the vaccine is cultured on) with aluminium phosphate, sodium chloride and water. (9)

Efficacy
According to the Public Health Laboratory Service, the old vaccine doesn’t work and neither does the new one. (11)

Side effects
Stated side effects: redness and swelling at injection site, fever, disturbed sleep, extremely sore arm for a few days, irritability, and headaches. Also crying, drowsiness anorexia, diarrhoea, vomiting and myalgia. (12)

Between October 1999 and July 2000, there has also been nearly 5,000 reports of side effects in children. The most common appear to be black outs and severe persistent headaches, lasting weeks. Some of the children who were taken ill include:
 

• Sophie Bartholomew, aged 13, of Somerset, who passed out after having the vaccine and then went on to develop severe persistent headaches.
• Rebecca Hall, aged 12, from Bath, who suffered blackouts.
• Michael Wookey, aged 10, of Somerset, who collapsed.
• Amy Meredith, aged 2, of Gwent, who developed behavioural problems
• Charlie Berry, aged 11 months, of Devon, who suffered high temperatures and stomach pain.

Charlie Berry’s mum, Lisa, said her 11 month old son has had a temperature of 104 and a stomach ache since his injection. She said

“Something needs to be done about this because it is just not right. We were not told anything like this could happen. We were expecting some kind of a reaction like a lump or some swelling but nothing like this.” (18)

Amy Meredith’s parents say she has suffered behavioural problems since her meningitis C jab and that friends children have also had mood swings and a sudden change of temperament since their vaccines. Amy’s mum Fiona said:

“My daughter Amy’s behaviour changed dramatically soon after having the injection and stayed unusual and difficult. It is not the temper tantrums of two year old’s, we would like her examined.”

Her dad Terry added: “To be honest, she went absolutely loopy as if she was on Ecstasy. Her behaviour has been uncharacteristic and bad ever since. She is even violent towards us and her sister Stacy, 13.” (19)

Graig Gotts, aged 17, developed arthritis after his jab. “The day after his injection he was alright”, said his mum, “but the day after that he was really poorly and we thought it was flu. He was in bed for three days, just lying there. He had one mouthful of Christmas dinner and vomited, then went to bed for the rest of the day. On New Year’s Day he woke up and his foot was swollen. The next day both feet were like rugby balls and he just wasn’t himself.”

Graig was taken to hospital and saw several doctors, but it was not until he saw a specialist that arthritis was diagnosed. Now Graig has to walk with a stick, is often poorly and has seen his hopes of a career in the army dashed. Graig said “I have good days and bad days. I’m sore all over some days and I can hardly stand up straight – it’s like a burning hot sharp pain.”(20)
 

There have also been cases of meningitis after the vaccine, and death. Twenty-month-old Euan, from South Norwood, contracted meningitis 10 days after receiving his jab. His mum said “I didn’t allow myself to think what might happen, but just stayed there dealing with it minute by minute. Thank God he pulled through and 5 days later he was able to come home. The doctors diagnosed it as Strepococcal Meningitis and claimed it had nothing to do with the jab, but I don’t believe them. Although the doctor says that the meningitis C vaccine had nothing to do with it, I have been advised not to give Euan any further boosters of it.” (21)

A 16 year old girl in Canada also died of meningitis B after her boyfriend was given the meningitis C vaccine. Laboratory tests confirmed that the vaccine virus can mutate into B form and infect both the recipient and their close contacts. (23)
The medical profession are aware of this and are currently studying a group of 15,000 teenagers to discover whether immunisation helps trigger the most deadly strain of meningococcus bacteria. Throat swaps will be taken from them at 7 centres across the country. A spokesman said

“The study being conducted will address whether or not vaccine escape variants of the meningococcus begin to spread amongst the population of carried meningococci as a result of the immunisation programme.”

‘Escape variants’ are bacteria which can switch from B to C or C to B by swapping genetic material. This could, and is already having, a disastrous affect on the population. (24)
 

Baby Dion was found dead in his cot, just hours after receiving meningitis C, polio and DPT jabs. He was 2 months old. His distraught mum, Melanie, has demanded an inquiry into his death.
“The nurse said he should have meningitis C at the same time. When I told my doctor this after Dion had died, she seemed surprised because Dion was born very early. I’d be devastated if it was the jab.”
Dion had been born 2 months early, by Caesarean section and weighed just 2lbs, 9ozs. (22)
The Food and Drug Administration in America delayed the approval of a similar vaccine because of fears it may cause an epidemic of insulin-dependant diabetes. That vaccine (based on the pneomococcal virus) is also very similar to hiB vaccine, except that it contains seven different viruses. A study was done over 10 years where one sample of children were given 4 doses of hiB vaccine and another sample of children weren’t given any. The rate of diabetes increased by 26% in the vaccinated children. (14)
As the new meningitis C (meningococcal) vaccine is also based on the hiB jab then incidence of diabetes can be expected.
North American Vaccine, pneomococcal vaccine manufacturers, have stated that as with any vaccine “there is a very small risk that serious problems, even death, could occur after getting a vaccine.” (15)

Why do doctors use the vaccine if it is harmful?
The answer to this is simply money. There is big money to be made from vaccination. In the GP magazine, Pulse, there is a perfect example of this:

“The new meningitis C programme will start on November 29. This will bring a very worthwhile clinical gain as well as being a windfall for GP’s. How can you fit it in for minimal hassle?”

Each GP stands to earn around £1, 332 in the first year of the programme and £453 every subsequent year. Luckily, the priority group is babies under four months (who will need three immunisations at monthly intervals) attending for their first, second and third DPT/Hib/polio and those attending for their first MMR at 13 months (who will need one meningitis dose only).
 

This is essentially a captive audience so no extra recall system is needed initially. Dr. Couch also adds:

“ Every vaccination will be recorded so we can easily find the non-attenders and chase them.”

He explains that the doctor’s fees will only be paid for under-five-year-old’s and university students. For children between these ages, they will not be paid their fee from the local authority, so he suggests that GP’s ‘refer parents back to schools.’
In other words, doctors are not interested in vaccinating your child if they don’t get any money for it. (23)
 

Contraindications
The vaccine should not be administered if the recipient:

• Is allergic to any part of the vaccine (how are we supposed to know?)
• Has a fever, or is ill with anything.
• Has a history of febrile illness (childhood fits).
• Is pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Has had a reaction to any previous vaccine.
• Has thrombocytopenia or another coagulation disorder. (17)

Homoeopathic immunisation
Leading homoeopath, Christina Head, gives her views on meningitis C.
 

“A lot of parents are worried about meningitis C and the new vaccination currently on offer to all children up to university age. The ‘C’ strain meningitis bacteria lives harmlessly in the mucous of the throat of one in ten people. The bacteria itself is very weak and cannot live outside the body for long.

In odd susceptible people, currently one in 200,000, the bacteria can enter the blood stream causing the serious disease, meningitis C. The medics are presently trying to ascertain why some people become susceptible when most people carry this disease with no ill effects whatsoever.

From a homoeopathic point of view, susceptibility comes from various sources: inherited weakness, or acquired weakness due to poor nutrition, poor housing, unhappiness etc, too many vaccinations at an early age weakening the immune system, or all three.

The homoeopathic remedy called meningococcus, available from any of the homoeopathic pharmacies, is very useful to give any child as a prophylaxis. This gently strengthens any weakness there may be to that disease. It is also worth giving to anyone who has been involved with a local epidemic. The 30th strength is enough to use as a prophylaxis.”
 

Sources
1. Child Health, Dr Miriam Stoppard, 1998
2. The Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Complementary Health, Nikki Bradford, 1996
3. Australian Associated Press, 20/10/97
4. The Melbourne Age – Don’t panic, the truth about meningitis, Adrian Rollins, 22/10/97.
5. Homoeopathic Immunisation – the better and safer alternative,
6. As number 2
7. Meningitis C – “Reduce the Risk”, Dept. of Health (HEA) 1999
8. Meningococcal C (meningitis C) vaccine factsheet, Dept. of Health, 1999.
9. Meningitec vaccine – manufacturers’ datasheet, Wyeth, October 1999.
10. As number 3
11. Public Health Laboratory Service – press statement, 1/10/99
12. As number 8
13. BBC News, 19/11/99
14. BALTIMORE, PRNewswire, 8/11/99
15. North American Vaccine – vaccine information statement 29/7/97
16. Paediatric News, 33(9):51, 1999.
17. As number 8
18. Just How Safe Is This Jab? Western Daily Press, UK.
19. The Daily Express, June 12, 2000.
20. The Sheilds Gazette, July 5, 2000.
21. What Doctors Don’t Tell You magazine, July 2000.
21. The Mirror, 6 March 2000.
22. Pulse, 20/11/99. 23. VIA
24. John Von Radowitz, Medical Corraspondent, PA News.

Meningitis C factsheet (c) 1997-2001 VAN UK. Produced by Vaccination Awareness Network UK. 0870 444 0894

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