COLLEGE FRESHMEN GET SCHOOLED ON VACCINES

Immunizations recommended, often required

By Erinn Hutkin Special to U-T San Diego5:08 A.M.JUNE 3, 2014

It’s high school graduation season, and before long, a new class of college freshmen will step foot on campus. And just as it’s recommended — and often required — for students to get vaccines before starting kindergarten, the same holds true for young adults entering college.

In a world where plenty of students are packed into dorms, classrooms and campus events, making sure an incoming college student starts the semester with immunizations is an ideal way to protect their health. Here’s a look at a few vaccines doctors recommend students get before college.

• Meningitis vaccine: Meningitis is a disease that’s caused by the inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Bethani Bernaba, a family medicine physician in the Mira Mesa office of Sharp Rees-Stealy, said the bacterial infection is common in shared spaces such as college dorms and military barracks. Once the infection is contracted, she said it can spread through the body and shut down organ systems one by one. There have even been cases where college athletes have had to have amputations because of the disease. Those who get the vaccine at age 11 or 12 need a booster at age 16, as do those who got the shot at ages 13 to 15. Those vaccinated after age 16 don’t need a booster. Because of outbreaks, she said many schools now require the vaccine. “Word has spread,” she said. “More and more students have been getting vaccinated.”

• Combined tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines: Bernaba said there have been outbreaks of whooping cough in California and across the country. Nicknamed the “100-day cough,” she said the disease causes sufferers to feel miserable and cough constantly for long periods of time. The danger is the disease spreads quickly in close quarters. The vaccine is now required in California for entry into seventh grade, but any student who missed the vaccine in their younger years should get the vaccine before college. She said a tetanus shot is recommended every 10 years, and college is an ideal time for a booster since many young adults were vaccinated at age 10 or 11.

• Hepatitis B vaccine: Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver and could lead to liver cancer or failure. Dr. Josef Zwass, a pediatrician and immunization co-chairman for Kaiser Permanente San Diego, said the vaccine is one of those required for K-12 admission in California. Among colleges, he said both the University of California and California State University systems require incoming students to have completed the hepatitis B vaccine series. He said infants normally get the vaccine — given in a series of three shots — during the first year of life. Those who missed the vaccine as a child can get the first dose, then wait four weeks before second dose and another four weeks before the final shot. He said the virus can be spread through shared needles, blood and intimate contact.

• HPV vaccine: According tor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine is given as a series of three shots over six months to protect against HPV infection and problems it can cause. Two vaccines (Cervarix and Gardasil) protect against cervical cancers in women, while one vaccine (Gardasil) also prevents genital warts and cancers of the anus, vagina and vulva. Both vaccines are available to females, while only Gardasil is given to males. Zwass said the series is recommended to be given between the ages of 11 and 12. Among college-age students, the vaccine is still highly recommended for those who missed the vaccine in their younger years. He said a large number of parents misinterpret the shots as a “sex vaccine” versus a cancer vaccine, so there’s been some reluctance to give it to preteens. He estimates 20 to 30 percent of preteens received the first dose, and even fewer completed the three-shot series.

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