title: Prospects for vaccine prevention of meningococcal infection.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, 521 Parran Hall, 130 Desoto St., University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. lharriso@edc.pitt.edu
authors.forename: Lee H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate