[Impact of systematic vaccination with the antimeningococcal C conjugated vaccine in a health area in Andalusia].
BACKGROUND
A retrospective longitudinal study of population incidence was made to assess the effectiveness of meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine, after its mass introduction in children in the geographic area of a health district, measuring its population impact, and we have studied the state of the meningococcal disease.


METHODS
Vaccine coverage in children born between 1991 and 2001, and rates of incidence in declared cases of meningococcal disease in seven epidemiological seasons (1997/98 to 2003/04) were calculated. The impact of vaccination against serogroup C meningitis was assessed comparing the average annual rates of previous and later seasons to the vaccination campaigns in population younger and older than 10, using the Fisher exact test.


RESULTS
In all the study period, 109 cases of meningococcal disease were declared, of which 50 were of serogroup C meningococcal disease. Starting from 2000/2001 season the incidence of serogroup C disease decreased in the population below 10. In this age group, the annual average rate of post-vaccine seasons decreases in respect to pre-vaccine (from 8.2 to 2.0 per 100,000 inhabitants) showing a statistically significant difference. In the population above 10 years, this incidence reduction was not observed. In the study period, no case of vaccine failure was declared.


CONCLUSIONS
The absence of vaccine failure and the impact observed on the incidence of serogroup C meningococcal disease in children under 10 suggests the effectiveness of this new conjugate vaccine, together with suitable vaccination conditions (vaccination schedule, high catch-up, etc.) which are developing in our health district.
Cruz Rojo
Concepción
C
Departamento de Ciencias Socio-Sanitarias, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Sevilla. cruzrojo@us.es
García Gil
Carmen
C
Nieto Vera
Juan
J
Monroy Morcillo
Ana
A
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines