title: [Vaccination against meningococcal B disease. Public statement of the Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Association of Paediatrics (CAV-AEP)].
abstract: Meningococcal invasive disease, including the main clinical presentation forms (sepsis and meningitis), is a severe and potentially lethal infection caused by different serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis. Meningococcal serogroup B is the most prevalent in Europe. Most cases occur in children, with a mortality rate of 10% and a risk of permanent sequelae of 20-30% among survivors. The highest incidence and case fatality rates are observed in healthy children under 2-3 years old, followed by adolescents, although it can occur at any age. With the arrival in Spain of the only available vaccine against meningococcus B, the Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Association of Paediatrics has analysed its preventive potential in detail, as well as its peculiar administrative situation in Spain. The purpose of this document is to publish the statement of the Committee as regards this vaccination and the access to it by the Spanish population, taking into account that it has been only authorized for people at risk. The vaccine is available free in the rest of Europe for those who want to acquire it, and in some countries and regions it has been introduced into the systematic immunisation schedules. The Committee considers that Bexsero® has a profile of a vaccine to be included in the official schedules of all the Spanish autonomous communities and insists on the need for it to be available in pharmacies for its administration in all children older than 2 months.
authors.affiliation: Infectología Pediátrica e Inmunodeficiencias, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Pediatría, Hospital Materno-Infantil, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Malaga, España; Grupo de Investigación IBIMA, Departamento de Pediatría y Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España. Electronic address: dmp.malaga@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moreno-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud de Llanera, Asturias, España; Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, España.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Álvarez García
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Infectología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario de Basurto, Bilbao, España; Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arístegui Fernández
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Madrid, España; Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cilleruelo Ortega
authors.affiliation: Consell Assessor de Vacunacions, Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Corretger Rauet
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Delicias Sur, Zaragoza, España; Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: García Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud La Rivota, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández Merino
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, España; Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hernández-Sampelayo Matos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud El Greco, Getafe, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merino Moína
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España; Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ortigosa Del Castillo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España; Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Contreras
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines
keywords: Children; Enfermedad meningocócica; Meningitis; Meningococcal disease; Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B; Neisseria meningitidis serogrupo B; Niños; Sepsis; Vaccines; Vacunas