A killer in our midst | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

The behind-the-scenes work happening at the Wairarapa District Health Board to prepare for one of the biggest

immunisation programmes in this region for many years raises questions. Is there really an epidemic? Is it as serious a disease as promoted?

The answer is a resounding "yes" from the national immunisation project manager for Wairarapa, Debi Lodge-Schnellenberg.

"Meningococcal disease is a killer, there's no doubt," she said. "The sharing of simple things like lip balm or water

bottles can be enough to spread the

disease."

Coughing, sneezing, kissing and

sharing of spit are risky past times when the disease is around.

She hastens to add that it is not

categorical that it was lip balm that caused the meningitis scare of the C strain in Masterton earlier this year, but activities like this are just too risky.

Is this just our society wanting to be immune to anything? All risk being eradicated?

"No, there is clear evidence that New Zealand is in the grip of an epidemic," Mrs Lodge-Schnellenberg said.

If left untreated, it is expected to last another six to eight years. Since 1991, New Zealand has had over 5300 cases of meningococcal disease and 218 deaths ? an average of 400 cases a year. Before the 1990s, there were around 50 cases a year.

What is so dangerous about

meningococcal disease is that it affects its victims rapidly ? often within hours of a person feeling flu-like symptoms.

Prompt treatment with antibiotics can prevent death or disability but because people just think they are unwell with flu, the disease is well into the system by the time medical help is sought.

Anti-immunisation critics have been quick to criticise the mass immunisation programme, alleging drug company

conspiracies and over-reaction to the

disease, which will run its natural course.

The Ministry of Health's meningo-

coccal B immunisation programme director, Jane O'Hallahan, is quick to dismiss such allegations.

"New Zealand has one of the highest rates of meningococcal B disease in the developed world. It can affect anyone, but those under 20 years of age are greatest at risk. Around half of those cases in New Zealand involve children under 5 years old. We can't ignore our young dying."

Dr O'Hallahan said it is imperative if the disease is to be controlled that the public is presented with the facts and not fallacies and mis-information promulgated by a small group of activists who are trying to undermine the programme.

A disturbing fact is that one in five people carry the meningococcal bacteria in their nose and throat without getting sick. Just why they don't get sick is not known but it's definitely the young that are at greatest risk. Sixty per cent of the disease occurs in under-20-year-olds.

Maori contract the disease at double the rate of other New Zealanders, Pacific Island people are affected at four times the rate. Because of these facts, Mrs Lodge-Schnellenberg says there are many health service providers that will be involved with the local immunisation

programme but getting on board Maori Health agencies is invaluable. There are 830 Pacific Islanders in Wairarapa, a small but obviously at-risk group, which also needs to be targeted.

The immunisation dose is given out in three stages, six weeks apart. It'll start in May in Wairarapa and there will be a "mop up" period of any missed or

outstanding in December 2005.

Mrs Lodge-Schnellenberg is quick to add the doses are free to all and that there is no live egg product in the vaccine.

"No vaccine is ever 100 per cent safe but there has been a careful watching brief on the first batch being distributed in Auckland. There have been 85 cases registered as adverse out of 250,000 given out and often these have other complicating factors such as the person already being unwell."

The vaccine was developed in Norway and was recommended as a result of a report in 2003 by the Institute of Environmental, Science and Research Limited for the Ministry of Health.

What's also exciting, according to Mrs Lodge-Schnellenberg, is that the meningococcal immunisation programme is also the springboard for the development of a national immunisation register, the dream of public health professionals for years.

A national publicity campaign promising such catchy phrases as "Don't share your spit" will be hitting consumers from January. For anyone wanting to know more about meningococcal B a good website is www.immunise.moh.govt.nz