Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a serious disease caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis which causes meningitis and meningococcemia. Meningitis is a swelling of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcemia is a blood infection.
Symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease include fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, and occasionally a rash. Babies infected with IMD may have a high fever, are difficult to wake, cry more than normal, lose their appetite, are irritable, and develop a rash. IMD is a serious illness; approximately five to fifteen percent of people infected die.
The vaccine is free in Ontario for the following groups:
- one year old children born after September 1, 2003
- 12 year old children
- youth who are 15-19 years of age
- people who have contact with person infected with meningogoccal disease due to serogroup C
high risk people of all ages with a medical conditions such as HIV and functional or anatomic asplenia
If you are planning to travel outside Canada and wondering if you need to get vaccinated based on your destination country,
feel free to call us at (905) 475-2353 or book your appointment online for consultation with our healthcare provider.