title: Serologic correlates of protection for evaluating the response to meningococcal vaccines.
abstract: Meningococci cause serious disease worldwide and the organism remains the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in children and young adults. The only effective means of controlling disease is through vaccination. Although polysaccharide vaccines have been available for serogroup A, C, Y and W135 for many years, serogroup C polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines have only recently been licensed in many countries. Conjugate vaccines for combinations of serogroup A, C, Y and W135 are progressing through clinical trials and major efforts are being made to develop a safe and efficacious vaccine against serogroup B. To assess the quality of the immune response after vaccination, laboratory correlates of protection are needed. For serogroups A and C, serum bactericidal antibody is a well established predictor for protection but for serogroup B, other mechanisms besides serum bactericidal antibody may also be involved in conferring protection against disease. The serologic correlates of protection for evaluating the response to meningococcal vaccines are described in this review.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Evaluation Department, NW Regional HPA Laboratory, Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership, PO Box 209, Clinical Sciences Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, M13 9WZ, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balmer
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borrow
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D012698:Serologic Tests; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C039455:capsular polysaccharide, meningococcal group B; C043226:meningococcal group A polysaccharide; C037676:meningococcal group C polysaccharide