title: [Group B meningococcal invasive infections: an unresolved public health problem].
abstract: Group B meningococcal infections represent 64% of the invasive meningococcal infections in Switzerland. While conjugate vaccine against group C meningococcus is part of the additional vaccinations of the Swiss vaccinal calendar and quadrivalent vaccines protect against serogroups A, C, Y, and W135, there is presently no available vaccine against group B meningococcus in Switzerland. The use of the capsular polysaccharide from the group B meningococcus is ineffective and possibly dangerous because of its similarity with an adhesion molecule of the human neuronal cells. Development of new vaccines with other antigenic targets gives hope for an optimal protection not only against group B meningococcus, but also against other serogroups that share same antigenic determinants.
authors: Service de pédiatrie générale, Département de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, HUG, Gèneve. Pierre-Alex.Crisinel@hcuge.ch
authors: P-A
authors: PA
authors: Crisinel
authors: K M
authors: KM
authors: Posfay-Barbe
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011634:Public Health; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines