Content about Meningococcal disease

NEW YORK — Meningococcal meningitis is rare but can kill preteens and teenagers in as little as a day. Yet many kids still engage in behaviors that put them at risk of contracting the disease despite not being vaccinated.

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is participating in a new docudrama that debuts on Animal Planet beginning Friday at 9 p.m., the agency announced earlier this week.

Animal Planet has ordered six episodes of the new series “Killer Outbreaks.” Each episode features potentially deadly viruses and includes commentary from CDC experts and victims of the outbreaks. "Killer Outbreaks" began production in March 2010, and in total, producers interviewed 43 subject matter experts from across the agency.

BASEL, Switzerland — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a Novartis vaccine for preventing meningococcal disease in children, the Swiss drug maker said.

Novartis announced the approval of Menveo (meningococcal [groups A, C, Y and W-135] oligosaccharide diphtheria CRM197 conjugate vaccine) for active immunization to prevent certain forms of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis in children ages 2 to 10 years. The FDA approved the vaccine last year for use in adolescents and adults ages 11 to 55 years.

SWIFTWATER, Pa. The Food and Drug Administration has accepted an application from Sanofi Pasteur to expand the use of a vaccine in children.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis, announced Thursday the FDA’s acceptance of its application seeking approval of Menactra (meningococcal [groups A, C, Y and W-135] polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine) for active immunizations of infants and toddlers against invasive meningococcal disease.

PHOENIX The charitable arm of the NBA is sending a basketball star out to educate parents about adolescent vaccinations.