Activity 3: Keeping meningitis away - text only

Now we know what micro-organisms are, and how some can cause meningitis and septicaemia, we need to know how to defend ourselves against them.

The only way to prevent serious diseases like meningitis is vaccination. Vaccination is when we give our bodies a harmless form of bacteria or virus which will prepare our bodies for a real invasion. Vaccines have now been used for hundreds of years, preventing disease and saving lives.


On the surface of bacteria and viruses are things called antigens. When the bacteria or virus invade the body our own defences make antibodies to fight them.

Our bodies produce antibodies for every different bacteria and virus it meets, so different vaccines are needed to prevent different disease.


When we are given a vaccine the antigens it contains will make us produce antibodies. If bacteria or viruses then invade our bodies will recognise them and be able to fight back. Sometimes vaccines need to be given more than once to make sure they work properly.