Meningococcal vaccines.
Global control and prevention of meningococcal disease depends on the further development of vaccines that overcome the limitations of the current polysaccharide vaccines. Protein-polysaccharide conjugate vaccines likely will address the marginal protective antibody responses and short duration of immunity in young children derived from the A, C, Y, and W-135 capsular polysaccharides, but they will be expensive to produce and purchase, and may not offer a practical solution to the countries with greatest need. In addition, OMP vaccines have been tested extensively in humans and hold some promise in the development of a serogroup B vaccine, but are limited by the antigenic variability of these subcapsular antigens and the resulting strain-specific protection. Elimination of meningococcal disease likely will require a novel approach to vaccine development, ideally incorporating a safe and effective antigen or antigens common to all meningoccocal serogroups. As a solely human pathogen, however, N. meningitidis has developed many tools with which to evade the human immune system, and likely will pose a formidable challenge for years to come.
Rosenstein
N E
NE
Meningitis and Special Pathogens Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. nar5@cdc.gov
Fischer
M
M
Tappero
J W
JW
D000293:Adolescent; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students; D014611:Vaccination
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines