Meningitis Resource Guide

ecuperating from meningitis or caring for a meningitis patient? These groups and information sources can help.

By Marie Suszynski

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Meningitis Foundation of America
480-270-2652

The Meningitis Foundation of America raises money for meningitis prevention, offers summer camp scholarships for kids affected by meningitis educated the medical community so people with meningitis can get diagnosed and treated early, and supports meningitis prevention through vaccinations and other measures. The foundation also posts medical news and research about meningitis on its Web site.

 

National Meningitis Association (NMA)
866-FONE-NMA (866-366-3662)

The nonprofit National Meningitis Association was founded by people personally affected by meningitis and provides information about meningococcal meningitis immunizations through parent-teacher associations, and offers a summer camp and other programs. It also began a coalition of U.S. mothers of children affected by meningitis, called M.O.M.s (Moms on Meningitis).

 

S.T.O.P. Meningitis!
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, 301-656-0003

S.T.O.P. Meningitis is sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and other groups to educate health care providers about immunizations for adolescents age 11 to 18.

 

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)
The CDC Web site had information about meningitis symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and who should get the meningococcal vaccine. The CDC also offers statistical data on the incidence of meningitis in the United States.

 

Meningitis Angels
Meningitis Angels educates schools, day-care centers, colleges, governments, and the media about how to prevent bacterial meningitis and its aftereffects. The Web site includes chat rooms and online forums where people who are affected by meningitis can connect.

Books on Meningitis
Meningitis
By Brian Robert Shmaefsky
Facts on File, Inc., October 2004.
This book describes the different kinds of meningitis and how it’s treated.
Bacterial Meningitis — A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References
Icon Health Publications, March 24, 2004.
This reference book includes definitions of terms related to bacterial meningitis, citations from books, and a guide to finding accurate information about meningitis online.
Meningitis
By Lorrie Klosterman
Benchmark Books, Sept. 30, 2006.
A book for children ages 9 to 12 that explains meningitis, what it’s like to have it, its history, and how it’s diagnosed and treated.