title: Impact and effectiveness of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine following its introduction in Spain.
abstract: This study describes the epidemiological impact of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine on age groups targeted by this vaccination programme in Spain, and estimates high short-term vaccine effectiveness values under field conditions in the 4 years following its introduction. Meningococcal C conjugate vaccine has led to a substantial reduction in incidence of meningococcal serogroup C disease in Spain among age groups targeted for intervention nationwide. Disease surveillance in the 4 years since the vaccine was introduced has enabled vaccine effectiveness (VE) to be estimated. The vaccine registered high short-term VE values but there has been some loss of VE with time. Four years after vaccination, vaccine protection levels exceeded 94% in cohorts immunised during the campaign. Among children vaccinated in routine childhood immunisation programmes, however, long-term VE loss was greater. Accordingly, there is a need for ongoing re-evaluation of VE and ascertainment of long-term vaccine protection. The findings reported would allow to decide on the advisability of revising current vaccination guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Red Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiológica, Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Sinesio Delgado 6, 28029 Madrid, Spain. alarrauri@isciii.es
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larrauri
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Salvador de
authors.initials: Sd
authors.lastname: Mateo
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D032541:Mass Vaccination; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000276:immunology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate