Meningococcal disease: a review on available vaccines and vaccines in development.
Meningococcal disease continue to have a major public health impact in many countries. Five major groups of Neisseria meningitidis (A, B, C, Y and W135) are responsible for most meningococcal diseases. Plain polysaccharides vaccines for Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y and W-135 have been in use for approximately 20 years, both to prevent invasive disease in high-risk population and to control disease outbreaks. However, these conventional meningococcal vaccines induce a relatively short-lasting T-cell independent immune response, are not effective in children under two years of age and can induce hyporesponsiveness. New meningococcal group C conjugate vaccines have since been developed, which offer solid advantages over the currently licensed plain polysaccharide vaccines. Tetravalent serogroup A, C, Y and W135 meningococcal vaccines are under development and one has already been licensed. There is still no universal vaccine available against the serogroup B, which is a major cause of invasive disease. This report summarises the different approaches to the development of vaccines against the pathogenic meningococci.
Novartis Vaccines, Marburg, Germany. Michael.Broeker@Novartis.com
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D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000276:immunology; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000276:immunology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000276:immunology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D017778:Vaccines, Combined; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate