Prospects for vaccine prevention of meningococcal infection.
Neisseria meningitidis is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States and worldwide. A serogroup A/C/W-135/Y polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine has been licensed in the United States since 1981 but has not been used universally outside of the military. On 14 January 2005, a polysaccharide conjugate vaccine that covers meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y was licensed in the United States for 11- to 55-year-olds and is now recommended for the routine immunization of adolescents and other high-risk groups. This review covers the changing epidemiology of meningococcal disease in the United States, issues related to vaccine prevention, and recommendations on the use of the new vaccine.
Harrison
Lee H
LH
Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, 521 Parran Hall, 130 Desoto St., University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. lharriso@edc.pitt.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D012703:Serotyping; D014611:Vaccination; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate