meningococcal vaccination indications

meningococcal vaccination indications The firstmonovalent (group C) meningococcal polysaccharide
vaccine was licensed in 1974, further vaccines
followed: in 1978 there was authorized another
monovalent group C vaccine as well as a group A and
a bivalent vaccine for both groups A and C; a quadrivalent
vaccine (groups A, C, Y and W-135, MPSV4) was
licensed in 1981. The meningococcal conjugate vaccine
MCV4, which also protects against the subtypes
A,C,Y and W-135, was introduced in 2005 and can be
used for persons 11–55 years of age. The protection rate
achieved by MPSV4 is 85–100 %, MCV4 is believed
to have the same efficacy and most probably induces
a longer-lasting protection than the polysaccharide vaccine.
In general, vaccination is carried through in individuals
two years of age or older as a single dose. If
indicated, also younger children – from three months
of age – can receive MPSV4. In these cases, a second
dose should be given three months apart. In many countries
meningococcal vaccination is not recommended in
general but for people at high risk for infection, such as
splenectomized persons, patients with terminal component
complement deficiency (a kind of immune system
disorder) or travelers to certain countries (e. g. the areas
in sub-Saharan Africa known as the meningitis belt,
which extends from Mauritania in the west to Ethiopia
in the east). Contraindications for meningococcal vaccination
are acute severe illness, a known allergy to
any component of the vaccine or an allergic reaction
to a previous dose of meningococcal vaccine.