Meningococcal B Vaccination (4CMenB) in Infants and Toddlers.
Neisseria meningitidis is a Gram-negative pathogen that actively invades its human host and leads to the development of life-threatening pathologies. One of the leading causes of death in the world, N. meningitidis can be responsible for nearly 1,000 new infections per 100,000 subjects during an epidemic period. The bacterial species are classified into 12 serogroups, five of which (A, B, C, W, and Y) cause the majority of meningitides. The three purified protein conjugate vaccines currently available target serogroups A, C, W, and Y. Serogroup B has long been a challenge but the discovery of the complete genome sequence of an MenB strain has allowed the development of a specific four-component vaccine (4CMenB). This review describes the pathogenetic role of N. meningitidis and the recent literature concerning the new meningococcal vaccine.
Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.
Susanna
S
Esposito
Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.
Claudia
C
Tagliabue
Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.
Samantha
S
Bosis
D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000276:immunology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D065288:Serogroup; D014611:Vaccination
C570015:4CMenB vaccine; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines