Optimizing protection against meningococcal disease.
Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and septicemia in the United States. Vaccines directed against meningococcal disease must elicit high and persistent titers of bactericidal antibodies against prevalent meningococcal serogroups and be highly efficacious in preventing meningococcal infection. Currently, 2 quadrivalent (A, C, W-135, Y) vaccines-a polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine and a conjugate meningococcal vaccine-are licensed in the United States. Neither is approved for use in infants or toddlers younger than 2 years of age. Results of studies with an investigational quadrivalent (ACWY) meningococcal CRM(197) glycoconjugate vaccine in infants demonstrate that this vaccine has potential to protect this age group. The availability of an effective vaccine for routine universal infant immunization is particularly important because the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease is greatest in infants for all serogroups and because achievable vaccination rates are much greater for infants and young children than they are for adolescents.
Reisinger
Keith S
KS
Primary Physicians Research, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. ksrppr@aol.com
Black
Steven
S
Stoddard
Jeffrey J
JJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines