Two mothers whose teenage daughters died from meningitis B are urging parents to vaccinate their children against the rare strain, which is not covered by the standard meningitis jab recommended by the CDC. Patti Wukovits from New York lost 17-year-old Kimberly in 2012, and Alicia Stillman from Michigan lost 19-year-old Emily the following year.
Neither mother knew their daughters were not fully protected after receiving the routine meningitis vaccine. At the time of the deaths, no vaccine for meningitis B was available in the US. Since then, two vaccines have been approved, but the CDC does not strongly recommend them, citing cost-effectiveness due to the rarity of the strain.
Patti, a registered nurse, recalled Kimberly coming home with flu-like symptoms and a temperature of 101°F in June 2012. The next morning, purple dots appeared on her ankle. She was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with meningitis, but died three days before her high school graduation.
Alicia's daughter Emily, a college sophomore, died in 2013 after similar symptoms. Both mothers now run foundations and campaigns to raise awareness, pushing for routine meningitis B vaccination for 16 to 23 year olds.
