title: Reactogenicity and safety of meningococcal A and C vaccine in Saudi children.
abstract: During an outbreak caused by group A Neisseria meningitidis in March 1992, groups A and C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine was administered to 1,168 children aged from 2 to 18 years. Parents were surveyed to ascertain reactions of children to the vaccine and development of invasive group A meningococcal disease after immunization. The most common reactions were mild local pain (21.9%), erythema (12.2%), and swelling at the injection site (7.2%). Only 1.7% of the children experienced fever and 3.7% displayed irritability. The vaccine was well tolerated and all adverse reactions disappeared within 24-48 hours of immunization. No cases of meningitis or sepsis caused by group A meningococci were seen in the 1st 12 months of observation among the vaccinated children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: al-Eissa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C043226:meningococcal group A polysaccharide; C037676:meningococcal group C polysaccharide