Princeton University Begins Dispensing Meningitis Vaccine

Princeton University began administering the first dose of the meningitis B vaccine today, with 1,261 students being vaccinated as of 4:30 p.m., school officials said.

Vaccine clinics are being held at the university from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the Frist Campus Center.

Since March, eight cases of meningitis associated with Princeton University students and a student visitor have been diagnosed. All eight cases were caused by meningococcal bacteria known as serogroup B. There is no vaccine for serogroup B in the United States, but there is a vaccine licensed for use in Europe and Australia,

Last month, the state declared an outbreak of meningitis at the university and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended  that all Princeton undergraduate students, graduate students living on campus, and other members of the University community with certain medical conditions receive the vaccine.

The  CDC and the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the vaccine for this  situation at Princeton.

The drug is made by Novartis. The University is covering the cost of the vaccine, which nurses from Maxim Health Systems are administering.

Krystal Knapp

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Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.